THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD’S SOUNDS
A VERSE IN PRAISE
of the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World’s Sounds
When hands and eyes that
pierce the heavens and the great Dharani,
Shake the entire
universe of three thousand worlds,
Those with and without
affinities alike are gathered in taught,
As the universal
compassion crosses over all in Jambudvipa.
THIÊN
THỦ THIÊN NHÃN QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT
QUẢNG
ÐẠI VIÊN MÃN VÔ NGẠI ĐẠI BI TÂM ÐÀ LA NI KINH
PART ONE:
THE VAST, GREAT, PERFECT, FULL, UNIMPEDED,
GREAT COMPASSION
HEART DHARANI
THOUSAND-HANDED, THOUSAND-EYED
BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE
WORLD'S SOUNDS
Commentary:
THE VAST GREAT, PERFECT, FULL, UNIMPEDED, GREAT COMPASSION
HEART DHARANI OF THE THOUSAND-HANDED, THOUSAND-EYED BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE
WORLD'S SOUNDS is
the specific title of this Sutra; only this Sutra is given that name.
SUTRA is the name applied in common to each of the discourses spoken by the
Buddha.
According to the Seven Sutra Title Classifications, 1 the title of this Sutra belongs to the seventh classification,
that of "Complete-in-One." The title contains a reference to a
person--the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds, to an analogy--the
great compassion heart, and to a dharma--the dharma of the dharani.
Dharani is a Sanskrit word, interpreted to mean “unite and
hold." 2 Dharanis, sometimes
called "mantras,” unite all dharmas and hold limitless meanings. They are
the chief, the head, and the origin of all dharmas.
1 See The Buddha Speaks of Amitabha
Sutra, Buddhist Text Translation Society (BTTS), San Francisco, 1974, pp.
15-18.
2 Translations of Sanskrit terms are based on the Chinese and
may or may not reflect the Sanskrit etymology. Where the original Sanskrit has
been lost or is not available, Chinese transliterations have been retained
throughout:
How can there be a thousand hands and a thousand eyes? Such
appearances of awesome, virtuous spiritual powers are attained through the
cultivation and recitation of the Great
Compassion Mantra. Do not look lightly, upon recitation of the mantra. In order
to meet up with it, one must have planted deep, firm good roots in the
Buddhadharma by cultivating it in past lives. Without such roots, one would not
even be able to hear the words "Great Compassion Mantra," to say
nothing of being able to study; recite and memorize it. Such an opportunity is
difficult to meet in a billion aeons. Think it over: How many people here in
San Francisco can have heard its name? Surely not more than five hundred. From
this you can get an idea of how many people in this world have good roots. Now
we hear the name of the mantra, and we should rejoice in this rare opportunity
to study it.
The Sutra is
being explained at the request of my American disciples to accompany the
transmission of the Great Compassion Dharma of the Forty-two Hands which took
place last year. The Dharma of the Forty-two Hands is a secret Dharma, one
which I did not transmit to others before I came to America. I have now
transmitted it to those Americans who have good roots and who have taken refuge
with and deeply believe in the Buddhadharma.
In order to
understand the Forty-two Hands, one must also understand the principles within The
Dharani Sura and so, observing the sincerity of those who requested it. I have
agreed to explain it, now that I have finished lecturing on The Vajra Sutra and The
Heart Sutra. To say nothing of Americans, very few Chinese have
ever heard The Dharani Sutra and those who have understood its meaning
and are capable of explaining its principles are even fewer. So, toss the
rubbish out of your minds. Get rid of your greed, hatred, and stupidity. Then
you can receive the sweet dew of the Dharma water and gain the Dharma's
benefit. This is most important.
Thousand Hands
and a Thousand Eyes
If you
cultivate the Great Compassion Mantra, you can obtain a thousand hands and a
thousand eyes.
If you don't
want them, then don't cultivate the Great Compassion Dharma. However, with a
thousand eyes, you can shut your two eyes to give them a rest, and still see
things. Isn't this wonderful Dharma?
A thousand
eyes can not only see but illuminate. Your ordinary eyes can see ten or twenty
miles, or with binoculars, perhaps a hundred miles. With a thousand eyes, you
can see for a million miles, to the end of empty space and the Dharma Realm.
You don't even need a television to watch the astronauts walking around on the
moon. It's much less expensive than buying a television, or photographs, or
magazines. Now, do you think a thousand eyes are useful?
Not only
that, but with a thousand eyes, you can look out from the back of, your head
and see what is in front of you. Looking out in front of you, you can see what
is behind you. So the Venerable Hsu Lao wrote :
From behind your brains
you
can see your face:
You've
caught the sparrow hawk;
A full set
of eyes
at
the gate of the crown:
You've
seized a flying bear.
Most people
can't see their own faces, but with a thousand eyes, you can see your own face
and you can see behind you. You can even see what is inside your stomach. You
can know how many little bugs, lazy bugs, gluttonous bugs, and dead bugs there
are in your stomach. From the outside you can see inside and from the inside
you can see outside, just as if you were looking through a pane of glass. You
can see it all: what your heart looks like and what your stomach is about to
say, every movement of those machines inside of you. Do you want a thousand
eyes or not? Do you still think your two eyes are sufficient? Such is the
miraculous function of a thousand eyes.
What about a
thousand hands? If you have only two hands, then when you pick something up in
each of them, you can't pick up anything further. With one hand, you can take
ten thousand dollars; with a thousand hands, you can take a hundred million!
Now, let's
divide some apples. You may take as many as you want. Of course, if you only
have two hands, you can only take two. If you have a thousand hands, you can
take a thousand. Isn't this useful? But a thousand hands are not for child's
play. The reason to have a thousand hands is to save other people. If a
thousand people are drowning and you have only two hands, you will only be able
to rescue two of them. If you have a thousand hands, you will be able to reach into
the water and pull them all out. Is this useful or
A thousand
eyes observe,
A thousand
ears hear
A thousand
hands help and
Living
beings everywhere.
Regardless
of what trouble living beings find themselves in, you can save them with your
thousand hands and pull them out of the sea of suffering. Without a thousand
hands, you can't rescue so many people.
The
Bodhisattva Who Regards the Sounds of the World has a thousand hands, not for
stealing things, but for rescuing people. They are not for the purpose of
surreptitiously picking a thousand apples. You should be clear about this
point.
Where do the
thousand hands and eyes come from? They are born from the Great Compassion
Mantra. You must recite the Great Compassion Mantra and cultivate the Great
Compassion Dharma of the Forty-two Hands. The last of the Forty-two Hands is
called the "Uniting and Holding, the Thousand-Arms Hand." Every time
you recite this mantra, your hands increase by forty-two. Recite it once and
you have forty-two more hands, recite it again and they increase by forty-two.
Recite it a hundred times and you will have 4,200, a thousand times, 42,000,
and so forth. It's simply a matter of whether or not you cultivate. But the
thousand hands and eyes are not obtained in a day and a night. You must cultivate
with effort every single day, never missing a day. If you cultivate daily
according to Dharma, you will perfect the inconceivably wonderful function of
enlightenment, but if you cultivate today and quit tomorrow, it is of no use at
all. In the world, if you want a Ph.D. , you have to study for fourteen or
fifteen years. How much more effort is needed to study the Buddhadharma! Unless
you continually use true, genuine effort, you will have no success.
The
Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds is a most vigorous and energetic
Bodhisattva. Never pausing to rest, he continually rescues living beings. He
does not fear too much work and he is not afraid that living beings will have
too many difficulties for him to be able to help them. He is not one who likes
to be lazy and take breaks. With one hand he could help only a few people, and
so he has a thousand hands to save living beings within a thousand worlds, and
a thousand eyes to watch over them with. He watches over and rescues living
beings who are suffering and in difriculty.
In Chinese,
the name of the Bodhisattva is Kuan Shin Yin, in Sanskrit, Avalokiteshvara.
Kuan means “to regard.” What does he regard? Shih, "the world." What
does he regard in the world? Yin, "the Sounds." "Kuan"
refers to the wisdom which regards or contemplates. "Shih" refers to
the realm which is contemplated--the realm of all living beings in the world.
When living
beings are in difficulty and distress, they think of their compassionate
father, they think of their compassionate mother. Who is their compassionate
father? The Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds. And who is their
compassionate mother? The Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds. 3
3 Basically,
the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds has transcended the duality of
"male" and "female." Although usually referred to as
"he," the Bodhisattva often appears in a beautiful feminine form,
personifying the qualities of kindness and compassion, in order to save living
beings. Therefore, in this work, either "he" or "she" will
be used, depending upon the context.
They think of the Bodhisattva and recite, “Nano Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds, Namo Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds …” and to that one thought, the Bodhisattva responds. He regards them with a thousand wisdom-eyes, hears them with a thousand wisdom-ears, and uses the wisdom of a thousand hands to pull them out of suffering. There may be hundreds of millions of suffering living beings all reciting at the same time, "Nano Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds," and they all obtain a response, they all obtain happiness. Therefore, Kuan Yin Bodhisattva is called the Thousand-Handed, Thousand-Eyed Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds.
A Bodhisattva is someone who likes to help other people. If you help others, then you are a Bodhisattva. If I help others, then I am a Bodhisattva. If you do not help others, then you are a rakshasa ghost. If I do not help others, then I am a rakshasa ghost. The Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds often appears as a beautiful woman, and rakshasa ghosts can also be very attractive. But rakshasa ghosts are complete opposites to the Bodhisattva. A rakshasa is selfish and thinks only of benefitting herself, while the Bodhisattva thinks only of benefitting others, and knows nothing of self-benefit. Thus this one thought makes the difference between them. If you wish to be like the Bodhisattva, then you should benefit others.
"But I
have no power to help others," you say. First of all I have no money and
secondly, I don't know how to talk to people. How can I help people?"
I will tell
you. Have a compassionate mouth, not one which scolds people. Have a skillful
tongue which finds ways to reason with people, not a tongue which continually
gossips. Find a way to lessen the strife and discord in the world. Then,
whether or not you have money, you can
foster merit. If you have money, you can use that, too, but what is more
important is to have good thoughts, do good things, and be a good person. That
is what is meant by the practice of virtue.
Bodhisattva
is a Sanskrit word. Bodhi means "enlightenment," and sattva means
"being." A Bodhisattva is an enlightened living being among living
beings. He is also a being who enlightens other beings. A Bodhiattva enlightens
all those who have sentience, that is, those with blood and breath. Things
without blood and breath may be living, but they cannot be said to be sentient
because they have no feelings or emotions.
Distinguish
people from insentient wood and grass, but this is not exactly correct. Wood
and grass also have feelings, but they are very stupid and dull. Why? Because
in the past they insisted on doing stupid things and so they have become wood
and grass.
The state of
a Bodhisattva is inconceivable. There is no way to describe what is
inconceivable, but to give you an example of what that state is like, I will
tell true story:
When Your
Very Life is At Stake
There was
once a man who recited the Great Compassion Mantra for about twelve years. He
had recited every day at least 108 times, and sometimes many more than that, without attaining any advantage
from it at all. The mantra had not brought him food to eat or clothes wear. But
he continued to believe in the mantra and recite it.
Once, while
traveling, he stopped for the night at inn. The innkeeper was a thief, but not
one who went out steal. He just sat in his inn and waited for rich guests to
come by. He would give them a fine room, a dose of drugged wine, and then, in
the middle of the night, when they were sleeping heavily, he would sneak into
their rooms to rob them and sometimes even murder them.
The man who
recited the Great Compassion Mantra believed in the Buddha, however, and so he
didn't drink the wine. He avoided the drugged wine and slept lightly. At about
one o'clock in the morning, he heard someone slowly open the door and sneak
into his room. Opening his eyes just a crack, he saw the glint of a butcher's
shiny blade flash in the moonlight. "Someone means to kill me," he
thought, paralyzed with fear.
At that very
moment, there was a knock on the door. The would-be murderer quickly put the
blade behind his back and went to the door. "Who is it?" he
whispered.
"My
name is Ðậu Du Bằng
Dou
Shu Peng." 4 came the reply.
4 Throughout the work, the standard Wade-Giles system of
romanization will be used with the exception of mantra syllables, which will be
transliterated into the Yale romanization system to facilitate pronunciation.
NGÀI CAM-LỘ BỒ-TÁT
cũng là NGÀI QUÁN-THẾ-ÂM
Kindness, compassion, joy, and giving aid the Dharma King.
Peeking
through the keyhole, the innkeeper saw a large
man dressed in a policeman's uniform. "That do you want?" he asked
nervously.
"I've
come to visit my friend who is staying in this
room. Won't you please tell him to stop by my house tomorrow morning for
breakfast?"
"Yes,
I'll do that," said the innkeeper, and the policeman
left. Since the man the innkeeper was about to kill had a policeman for a
friend, and since this policeman expected his friend for breakfast the next morning,
the innkeeper decided he had best do no murdering that night.
The next
morning the innkeeper told the guest, "A friend of yours named Dou Shu
Peng was by last night. He came to invite
you to his house for breakfast."
"Dou
Shu Peng..." said the guest, and then he remembered that in the Great
Compassion Mantra there is the line,
"Dou Shu Peng." "Yes!" he exclaimed, "I do have such a
friend. I was just on my way to meet him."
So, he dwelt
in a murderer's den but because he recited the Great Compassion Mantra, he
escaped unharmed. So don't think that recitation of the Great Compassion Mantra
is useless. Wait until your very life is in danger; then the mantra will
manifest its wonderful use. Now your life is not in danger, and you don't need
the mantra's protection. So just recite it and don't worry about whether or not
it brings you food or clothes.
To continue
explaining the title, VAST means
" broad," and GREAT means
"high and big." Horizontally, the Dharani extends to the ends of the
ten directions, and vertically it includes the three per of time. In the
Shurangama Mantra, the lines
“ 546. A NA LỆ
547. TỲ XÁ ĐỀ
546. E NA LI
547. PI SHE TI”
also mean
extending out horizontally to edges and reaching vertically to the three
periods of time. When you recite these lines, goblins, strang ghosts, and
heavenly demons are trapped and cannot go away. In the title of The Dharani Sutra, however, the usage
of vast and great is not as severe.
The Great
Compassion Heart is vast, great, perfect, full, and unimpeded in its ability to
relieve our suing and save us from distress. The Compassion Dharani can deliver
us from suffering.
The
Five-fold Profound Meanings 5
To explain a
Sutra correctly, one must first out line it according to the Five-fold Profound
Meanings the T'ien T'ai School:
1. Explaining the name. The name of the
Sutra been explained above. It is made up of a reference a person, dharma, and
analogy, and therefore belongs the Sutra classification known as
"Complete-in-One."
2. Discrimination of the Substance. The
real mark is the Sutra's substance. There is nothing which is not marked: this
is the substance.
3. Clarification of the Doctrine. The
doctrine of this Sutra defeats all demons and regulates adheren of external
religions.
4. Discussion of the Function. This
Sutra's use to increase goodness, destroy evil, relieve suffering and bestow
happiness. It causes demons and externaly to cease from evil and do good.
5. Determining the Teaching-Mark. The mark
is clarified butter; the supreme sweet dew, the wondering flavor of clarified
butter arises from this Sutra.
Having
discussed the title of the Sutra, we shall now turn to a discussion of the
Sutra's translator.
5 For further discussion see The Sixth Patriarch's Dharma Jewel Platform
Sutra and Commentary, BTTS, San Francisco, 1971, pp. 44-45. See also The Amitabha Sutra, op. cit., P.1.
ÐƯỜNG TÂY THIÊN-TRÚC SA-MÔN GIÀ-PHẠM-ÐẠT-MA DỊCH
TRANSLATED
DURING THE T'ANG DYNASTY
BY THE
INDIAN SHRAMANA BHAGAVADDHARMA
Commentary:
During the
T'ANG DYNASTY, Shramana Bhagavaddharma came from INDIA to China to translate
this Sutra. At that time India was divided into five parts: north, east, south,
west, and center.
SHRAMANA is
a Sanskrit word which means "diligent destroyer." A Shramana
diligently cultivates precepts, samadhi, and wisdom, and destroys greed,
hatred, and stupidity.
What should
the deportment of a Shramana be like? When Shariputra and Mahamaudgalyayana met
the Bhikshu Ashvajit they saw that he carried himself very well. His robes hung
straight and his walk was even. His eyes watched his nose, his nose watched his
mouth, and his mouth watched his heart. He was mindful as he walked and his
eyes and ears were not distracted. He looked as if he were in samadhi.
Shariputra and Mahamaudgalyayana were impressed. "Where did you learn such
a fine style?" they asked.
"I
learned the awesome manner from my teacher, Shakyamuni Buddha," said
Ashrajit. Then he said,
All dharmas
arise from conditions;
All dharmas
from conditions cease.
My teacher,
the Buddha, the great Shramana
Always
explains it thus.
The
translator of this Sutra is not referred to as a Tripitaka Master, for he had
not mastered all the divisions of the Buddhist Canon, the Sutras, Shastras, and
Vinaya. Perhaps he had only mastered one or two divisions.
BHAGAVADDHARMA
means "respecting Dharma." He TRANSLATED the Sutra from Sanskrit into
Chinese.
The
Tripitaka, or Buddhist Canon, contains the Sutras, which deal with samadhi, the
Shastras, which deal with the study of wisdom, and the Vinaya, which comprises
the moral code. In it are found twelve types of text. 6
6 See The Amitabha Sutra, op. cit., pp. 18-19.
KINH
VĂN:
NHƯ THỊ NGÃ VĂN: NHẤT THỜI, THÍCH CA MÂU NI PHẬT TẠI PHỔ ÐÀ LẠC
GIÀ SƠN. QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT CUNG ÐIỆN, BẢO TRANG NGHIÊM ÐẠO TRÀNG TRUNG,
SUTRA:
THUS HAVE I HEARD. AT ONE TIME SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA DWELT IN THE
JEWEL-ADORNED WAY FIELD IN THE PALACE OF THE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S
SOUNDS, ON POTALA MOUNTAIN.
Commentary:
In lecturing Sutras, six requirements must be fulfilled. The
six usually appear in the opening lines of the Sutra text. They are faith,
hearing, time, host, place, and audience.
THUS HAVE I HEARD : "Thus”
fills the requirement of faith, and “I have heard,” fills the requirement of hearing.
If you wish to study Buddhism, you must have faith Without faith, you cannot master it. Genuine faith, then, is the most important factor in the study of Dharma. “Thus” means that the Orthodox Dharma is that way--unchanging, without error--and so it can be believed. The heterodox dharma is not "thus" and you should not believe it.
The four words "Thus have I heard" begin all Buddhist
Sutras. Where did these words come from?
When Shakyamuni Buddha announced that he was about to enter
Nirvana, his disciple and younger cousin Ananda began to cry. Although Ananda
was a second-stage Arhat, he still tended to be rather emotional. Knowing it would
be useless to try to persuade the Buddha not to go Ananda, the certified sage,
wept. His eyes ran with tears and his nose ran with snot. He forgot everything
and cried his brain into confusion. Why? Ananda was simply too fond of the
Buddha. In The Sharangama Sutra we
read that Ananda left home because he saw the Buddha's thirty-two marks and
eighty minor characteristics. “The Buddha's marks are so fine," he said,
"I'll follow him always and help him do the most bitter work." Now,
hearing that his Master was leaving and would enter Nirvana, Ananda wept.
Just then the Venerable Aniruddha, one of the Buddha's
disciples, happened by. Aniruddha was blind. Since he couldn't see, he didn't
have a lot of false thinking; and since his heavenly eye was open, his mind was
very clear. "Ananda!" he said, "Why are you crying?"
"Shakyamuni Buddha is going to Nirvana!" said Ananda.
"How can I keep from crying?"
The Venerable Aniruddha said, "What's the use of crying?
There's an important job to be done. How can you just stand there and
cry?"
Hearing this, Ananda's brain cleared up a bit. "What
important job?" he asked.
Aniruddha said, "After Shakyamuni Buddha enters Nirvana,
we will have to compile his Sutras. What word shall we use to begin them with
to show that they were spoken by the Buddha?"
"Right!" said Ananda. "That is important! What else?"
"Now the Buddha is in the world," continued
Aniruddha, "and we live with him. He takes us out begging for food and we
follow him and dwell where he does. But after he goes to Nirvana, where will we
live?"
Ananda said, "That's a very important question, and I'm
too confused to have thought of it myself."
Aniruddha said, "While the Buddha was in the world, we
took him as our Master. After he enters Nirvana, who will be our Master?"
"That's three questions," said Ananda. "Are
there more?"
"Yes," said Aniruddha. "While the Buddha was in
the world, he could discipline bad-natured Bhikshus, but after he goes to
Nirvana, how shall we handle them? If they break the precepts, should we burn
them to death? What shall we do?"
"These are very important questions," said Ananda.
"Are there more?"
"No," said Aniruddha, "just these four. If you have
questions of your own you may ask them, too."
"I don't have any questions," said Ananda.
"These four are enough." Then he dried his tears and ran right to the
Buddha's room and said, "World Honored One, you are about to enter
Nirvana, but I have some questions I would like to ask first, please. May I?”
"Go ahead," said the Buddha.
Ananda said, "When the Buddha was in the world, he could
control bad-natured Bhikshus, but after he goes to Nirvana, what shall we do?
This is the fourth question, but nevertheless I am asking it first."
Shakyamuni Buddha said, "You should evict them by your
silence. Don't speak to them and they will lose interest and move out. You'll
make them move their sleeping bags.
Ananda said, "While the Buddha was in the world he was
our Master, but after he goes to Nirvana, will be our teacher? Should we find
another teacher.
"That's not
necessary," said Shakyamuni Buddha. "After I go to Nirvana, you
should take the precepts your Master. Take the Pratimoksha, the rules, as teacher.
After you leave home, study the Vinaya and take the precepts as your
teacher."
Ananda asked, "When the Buddha was in the world we lived
with him, but when he goes to Nirvana, where will we live?"
Shakyamuni Buddha said, "Dwell in the Four Applications
of Mindfulness:
1. Contemplate the body as impure.
2. Contemplate feelings as suffering.
3. Contemplate thought as impermanent.
4. Contemplate dharmas as being without self.
If you apply these four contemplations, you will of samadhi.
Dwell in these Four Applications."
Ananda said, "I have one more question, more important
than the other three. When the Buddha entered Nirvana, we will have to compile
and edit all the spoken by the Buddha during his lifetime. With what words
shall we begin the Sutras to show that they were spoken by the Buddha?"
The Buddha said, "Use the four words 'Thus have I heard.’"
Therefore, all Buddhist Sutras begin with the word "Thus
have I heard." "Thus" refers to the Dharma with is
"thus." "I" means that Ananda personally heard Shakyamuni
Buddha speak the Sutras. He didn't just happen to meet someone on the road who
told him, "It such and such a place the Buddha spoke a Sutra and so and
so..." The Sutras were heard by Ananda person ally.
The four words "Thus have I heard" have three meanings:
1. To distinguish Buddhist Sutras from those of external
religions. Non-Buddhist works begin with the words "E" and
"O." "E" means "existence." "O" means
"non-existence." Non-Buddhist works say, "There is there is not.
There is not or there is." "There is" the position of eternalism
and "there is not" is the position of annihilationism. "No
matter what it is, they say, "if it's not non-existent, then it exists, if
it's not existent, it does not exist." In general nothing in these works
goes beyond existence and non- existence, annihilationism and eternalism.
Thus have I heard," however, is a view of neither
annihilationism nor eternalism. It represents the Middle Way. It is thereby
different from all non-Buddhist religions.
2. To end the assembly's debates. Ananda had only realized the
second stage of Arhatship until the time came to compile the Sutras. He then
certified to the fourth stage. But he was still very young. Mahakashyapa,
Subhuti, and other elder Arhats with great status might have protested against
seeing Ananda take the seat to speak the Dharma and edit the Sutras. Each one
might have wanted to be number one. But there can only be one number one. Who
should it be? If the oldest were to be number one, the young ones might not
respect him, while if the youngest were to be number one, the older ones would
be unhappy. Suppose the one in the middle were to be number one? How would it
be decided who was in the middle? The only way to solve the problem then was to
use the words "Thus have I heard.” They indicate that the principles
spoken are neither yours nor mine. These are the Master's Sutras! You are not
first and I am not first." That put an end to their debate.
3. To resolve the assembly's doubts. When Ananda took the
Dharma-seat, those in the assembly who had not yet certified to the fruit
suddenly gave rise to three doubts. First of all, Ananda had thirty of the
thirty- two marks of a Buddha, but when he took the Dharma-seat he was so
delighted that his appearance changed and he looked just like the Buddha. Those
in the assembly who had not yet certified to the fruit thought, "Shakyamuni
Buddha is alive! He's come back to speak Dharma for us again." This was
the first doubt.
Second, they thought: "Shakyamuni Buddha has already entered
Nirvana; he can't have come back. This person must be a Buddha from some other
world, for how else could he have such perfect Buddha features?"
Then they thought, "Ah! Shakyamuni Buddha's cousin Ananda
has become a Buddha!"
The assembly gave rise to three doubts, but as soon as Ananda
said, “Thus have I heard,” the doubts disappeared. "Oh," they said,
"this is what Ananda heard Shakyamuni Buddha say." and they had no
further doubts.
We should all have no further doubts.
“Thus” fills the requirement
of faith. "Have I heard" fills the requirement of hearing. AT ONE
TIME, the requirement of time. SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA fills the requirement of a
host. POTALA MOUNTAIN fills the requirement of a place. "Potala" is a
Sanskrit word which means "little white flowers," and such flowers
bloomed on this mountain.
KINH VĂN:
TỌA BẢO SƯ TỬ TÒA. KỲ TÒA THUẦN DĨ VÔ LƯỢNG TẠP MA NI, BẢO NHI DỤNG
TRANG NGHIÊM, BÁCH BẢO TRÀNG PHAN CHÂU TRÁP HUYỀN.
NHĨ THỜI NHƯ LAI Ư BỈ TÒA
THƯỢNG, TƯƠNG DỤC DIỄN THUYẾT TỔNG TRÌ ÐÀ-LA-NI CỐ, DỮ VÔ ƯƠNG SỐ BỒ TÁT
MA-HA-TÁT CÂU, KỲ DANH VIẾT:
1) TỔNG TRÌ VƯƠNG BỒ TÁT,
2) BẢO VƯƠNG BỒ TÁT,
3) DƯỢC VƯƠNG BỒ TÁT,
4) DƯỢC THƯỢNG BỒ TÁT,
5) QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT,
6) ÐẠI THẾ CHÍ BỒ TÁT,
7) HOA NGHIÊM BỒ TÁT,
8) ÐẠI TRANG NGHIÊM BỒ
TÁT,
9) BẢO TẠNG BỒ TÁT,
10) ÐỨC TẠNG BỒ TÁT,
11) KIM CANG TẠNG BỒ TÁT,
12) HƯ KHÔNG TẠNG BỒ TÁT,
13) DI LẶC BỒ TÁT,
14) PHỔ HIỀN BỒ TÁT,
15) VĂN THÙ SƯ LỢI BỒ TÁT.
NHƯ THỊ ĐẲNG BỒ TÁT MA HA
TÁT, GIAI THỊ QUÁN ĐẢNH ÐẠI PHÁP VƯƠNG TỬ.
HỰU DỮ VÔ LƯỢNG VÔ SỐ ÐẠI THANH VĂN TĂNG, GIAI HÀNH A LA HÁN THẬP
ÐỊA, MA HA CA DIẾP NHI VI THƯỢNG THỦ.
SUTRA:
THE JEWELED LION THRONE UPON WHICH HE SAT WAS ADORNED IN
PURITY WITH LIMITLESS VARICOLORED MANI-JEWELS, AND A HUNDRED JEWELED BANNERS
HUNG SUSPENDED AROUND IT.
AT THAT TIME, THE THUS COME ONE, SITTING UPON HIS THRONE, WAS
ABOUT TO PROCLAIM THE UNITING AND HOLDING DHARANI. WITH HIM WERE NUMBERLESS
BODHISATTVAS, MAHASATTVAS. THEIR NAMES WERE: UNITING AND HOLDING KING BODHISATTVA,
JEWEL KING BODHISATTVA, MEDICINE KING BODHISATTVA, MEDICINE SUPERIOR BODHISATTVA,
THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, GREAT STRENGTH BODHISATTVA,
FLOWER ADORNMENT BODHISATTVA, GREAT ADORNMENT BODHISATTVA, JEWEL TREASURY
BODHISATTVA, VIRTUE TREASURY BODHISATTVA, VAJRA TREASURY BODHISATTVA, EMPTY
SPACE TREASURY BODHISATTVA, MAITREYA BODHISATTVA, UNIVERSAL WORTHY BODHISATTVA,
MANJUSHRI BODHISATTVA, AND OTHERS SUCH AS THESE, ALL BODHISATTVAS, MAHASATTVAS,
GREAT DHARMA PRINCES WHO HAD BEEN ANOINTED ON THE CROWN.
ALSO WITH HIM WERE LIMITLESS, NUMBERLESS, GREAT SOUND HEARERS,
ALL PRACTICING ARHATSHIP AT THE TENTH GROUND; MAHAKASHYAPA WAS AT THEIR HEAD.
Commentary:
In the JEWEL ADORNED BODHIMANDA, which was studded with the
seven precious gems: gold, silver, lapis lazuli, crystal, mother-of-pearl, red
pearls, and carnelian, the Thus Come One was sitting upon a JEWELED LION'S
THRONE which was ADORNED IN PURITY WITH LIMITLESS VARICOLORED MANI-JEWELS. A
HUNDRED JEWELED BANNERS HUNG SUSPENDED AROUND IT.
AT THAT TIME, THE THUS COME ONE, SITTING UPON HIS THRONE, WAS
ABOUT TO PROCLAIN THE UNITING AND HOLDING DHARANI. The Dharani unites all
dharmas and holds limitless meanings. This could be said to be the Great
Compassion Dharani.
WITH HIM WERE NUMBERLESS BODHISATTVAS, MAHASATTVAS, countless
great Bodhisattvas. THEIR NAMES WERE: UNITING AND HOLDING KING BODHISATTVA, who
receives and upholds all Dharma-doors, all methods of entering the Dharma and
attaining enlightenment.
JEWEL KING BODHISATTVA, MEDICINE KING BODEISATTVA, who
specializes in curing illness. He and his younger brother, MEDICINE SUPERIOR
BODHISATTVA, have made vows to protect and support the Buddha Dharma.
THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, GREAT STRENGTH
BODHISATTVA. When Great Strength Bodhisattva simply moves his hand or foot, the earthquakes in six ways.
FLOWER ADORNMENT BODHISATTVA maintains exclusively. The Flower Adornment (Avatamsaka) Sutra. GREAT ADORNMENT BODHISATTVA, JEWEL TREASURY
BODHISATTVA, VIRTUE
TREASURY BODHISATTVA. There is no limit to the virtuous
conduct that Virtue Treasury Bodhisattva practices. VAJRA TREASURY BODHISATTVA
belongs to the Vajra Secret Traces division of Dharma protectors. EMPTY SPACE
TREASURY BODHISATTVA, MAITREYA BODHISATTVA's name means "compassionate
clan." He is also known as Ajita, "invincible," and he will be
the next to realize Buddhahood in this world.
UNIVERSAL WORTHY BODHISATTVA, MANJUSERI BODHISATTVA, AND
OTHERS SUCH AS THESE, ALL BODHISATTVAS, MAHASATTVAS, GREAT DHARMA PRINCES WHO
HAD BEEN ANOINTED ON THE CROWN.
The Bodhisattvas mentioned here were seniors in the assembly.
Having arrived at the position of "anointing the crown," they will in
the future realize Buddhahood. The Buddha has transmitted to them a prediction
of Buddhahood and anointed their heads, saying that in the future, in a certain
country in a certain world, they will attain Buddhahood at such and such a
time, and be called by such and such a name.
ALSO WITH HIM WERE LIMITLESS, NUMBERLESS GREAT SOUND HEARERS,
ALL PRACTICING ARHATSHIP AT THE TENTH GROUND; MAHAKASHYAPA WAS AT THEIR HEAD.
Cultivation as a Bhikshu, one who has left home to practice the Way, is the
cause that leads to the result of Arhatship. These two Sanskrit words each has
three meanings:
As the cause, the Bhikshu is a mendicant, and as a result, as
an Arhat, he is worthy of offerings.
As the cause, the Bhikshu is a frightener of Mara, and as a
result, as an Arhat, he is a killer of thieves, the thieves of affliction and
ignorance.
As a cause, the Bhikshu is a destroyer of evil and as a
result, as an Arhat, he is without birth.
The Bhikshu who cultivates the Way frightens Mara," while
the Bhikshu who doesn't cultivate is afraid of Mara!
The Tenth Ground refers to the Ten Bodhisattva Grounds:
1. Happiness.
Having attained this ground, the Bodhisattva is extremely happy, and in all
places, at all times, he delights in teaching and transforming living beings.
When the Bodhisattva Who Observes the World's Sounds was at this Ground, he
heard the Thousand Ray King Who Dwells in Stillness Thus Come One recite the
Great Compassion Mantra and, hearing it, he lept immediately to the Eighth, or
Unmoving, Ground.
2. Leaving filth.
At the First Ground, although happy, the Bodhisattva has not yet left filth. At
the Second Ground, the Bodhisattva leaves filth and attains purity.
3. Emitting light.
Because of his purity, the Bodhisattva now emits light.
4. Flaming wisdom.
Here the light emitted by the Bodhisattva's brilliant wisdom is one level
brighter.
5. Invincible. The
Bodhisattva's wisdom is incomparable.
6. Manifesting.
What is manifest in the Sixth Ground? On this Ground, bright wisdom-light
always manifests, while the light of earlier Grounds can be intermittent.
7. Traveling far. Not only does the Bodhisattva's brilliant wisdom-light always manifest, but it universally illumines the Dharma Realm.
The Eight Marks of Accomplishing the Way are: the descent from
the Tushita Heaven, entering the womb, dwelling in the womb, leaving the womb,
leaving home, defeating Mara, turning the Dharma Wheel, and entering Nirvana.
At the Eighth Ground the Bodhisattva can manifest his body in
other worlds in order to teach living beings to realize Buddhahood.
When Bodhisattvas on the Eighth Ground or above appear in the
world, they are born wrapped in a membrane of flesh. The Venerable Master Hsu
Yun Hư Vân Lão Hòa-Thượng was born this way. It indicates great purity and is called
being born "wearing clothes." Bodhisattvas below the Eighth Ground
are not born in this way.
9. Good wisdom. At
this Ground, the Bodhisattva's wisdom is most miraculous and good.
10. Dharma cloud.
This cloud covers and protects all beings.
KINH VĂN:
HỰU DỮ VÔ LƯỢNG PHẠM-MA-LA THIÊN, THIỆN-TRA PHẠM-MA NHI VI THƯỢNG
THỦ.
HỰU DỮ VÔ LƯỢNG DỤC GIỚI CHƯ THIÊN-TỬ CÂU, CÙ-BÀ-GIÀ THIÊN-TỬ NHI
VI THƯỢNG THỦ.
SUTRA:
ALSO WITH HIM WERE COUNTLESS GODS OF THE BRAHMA WORLD. THE
BRAHMA SHAN CHA WAS AT THEIR HEAD.
ALSO WITH HIM WERE ALL THE INNUMERABLE GODS OF THE DESIRE
REALM. THE GOD GOPAKA WAS AT THEIR HEAD.
Commentary:
ALSO WITH HIM WERE COUNTLESS GODS OF THE BRAHMA WORLD. THE
BRAHMA SHAN CHA WAS AT THEIR HEAD. ALSO WITH HIM WERE ALL THE INNUMERABLE GODS
OF THE DESIRE REALM. THE GOD GOPAKA WAS AT THEIR HEAD. There are six heavens in
the realm of desire: the heaven of the four kings, the heaven of the
thirty-three, the heaven of good time, the heaven of contentment, the heaven of
transformed bliss; and the heaven of the comfort of the transformation of
other's bliss.
KINH VĂN:
HỰU DỮ VÔ LƯỢNG HỘ THẾ TỨ VƯƠNG CÂU, ÐỀ-ÐẦU-LẠI-TRA NHI VI THƯỢNG
THỦ.
HỰU DỮ VÔ LƯỢNG THIÊN, LONG, DẠ XOA, CÀN THÁT BÀ, A TU LA, CA LÂU
LA, KHẨN NA LA, MA HẦU LA GIÀ, NHÂN, PHI NHÂN ÐẲNG CÂU; THIÊN ÐỨC ÐẠI LONG
VƯƠNG NHI VI THƯỢNG THỦ.
SUTRA:
ALSO WITH HIM WERE GUARDIAN KINGS OF THE FOUR DIRECTIONS FROM
LIMITLESS WORLDS. DHRTARASHTRA WAS AT THEIR HEAD.
ALSO WITH HIM WERE COUNTLESS GODS, DRAGONS, YAKSHAS,
GANDHARVAS, ASURAS, GARUDAS, KINNARAS, MAHORAGAS, PEOPLE, NON-PEOPLE, AND SO
FORTH. THE GREAT DRAGON KING HEAVENLY VIRTUE WAS AT THEIR HEAD.
Commentary:
ALSO WITH HIM WERE GUARDIAN KINGS OF THE FOUR DIRECTIONS FROM
LIMITLESS WORLDS, DHRTARASHTRA WAS AT THEIR HEAD. ALSO WITH HIM WERE COUNTLESS
GODS, DRAGONS, YAKSHAS...Yakshas are ghosts. GANDHARVAS are musical spirits in
the court of the Jade Emperor. ASURAS are beings who like to fight. They have
the blessings of the heavens, but not the authority. GARUDAS are the great
golden-winged "p'eng" birds. KINNARAS are also musical spirits in the
Jade Emperor's court. MAHORAGAS are big snakes. PEOPLE, NON-PEOPLE, AND SO
FORTH. THE GREAT DRAGON KING HEAVENLY VIRTUE WAS AT THEIR HEAD.
KINH VĂN:
HỰU DỮ VÔ LƯỢNG DỤC GIỚI CHƯ THIÊN NỮ CÂU, ÐỒNG-MỤC THIÊN NỮ NHI
VI THƯỢNG THỦ.
HỰU DỮ VÔ LƯỢNG HƯ KHÔNG THẦN, GIANG HẢI THẦN, TUYỀN NGUYÊN THẦN,
HÀ CHIỂU THẦN, DƯỢC THẢO THẦN, THỌ LÂM THẦN, XÁ TRẠCH THẦN, THỦY THẦN, HỎA THẦN,
ÐỊA THẦN, PHONG THẦN, THỔ THẦN, SƠN THẦN, THẠCH THẦN, CUNG ÐIỆN ÐẲNG THẦN, GIAI
LAI TẬP HỘI.
SUTRA:
ALSO WITH HIM WERE ALL THE COUNTLESS GODDESSES OF THE DESIRE
REALM. THE GODDESS YOUTHFUL EYE WAS AT THEIR HEAD.
ALSO WITH HIM WERE COUNTLESS EMPTY SPACE SPIRITS, RIVER AND
SEA SPIRITS, SPRING AND FOUNTAIN SPIRITS, STREAM AND POND SPIRITS, MEDICINAL
HERB SPIRITS, TREE AND FOREST SPIRITS, SPIRITS OF DWELLINGS, WATER SPIRITS,
FIRE SPIRITS, EARTH SPIRITS, WIND SPIRITS, LAND SPIRITS, MOUNTAIN SPIRITS,
STONE SPIRITS, PALACE SPIRITS, AND SO FORTH. ALL CAME AND GATHERED TOGETHER IN
THE ASSEMBLY.
Commentary:
ALSO WITH HIM WERE ALL THE COUNTLESS GODDESSES OF THE DESIRE
REALM. THE GODDESS YOUTHFUL EYE WAS AT THEIR HEAD. ALSO WITH HIM WERE COUNTLESS
EMPTY SPACE SPIRITS...The Empty Space Spirit is mentioned in The Shurangama Sutra where it says:
The Shunyata nature may entirely melt away,
But this perpetual mind will not move or turn.
The Empty Space Spirit is called "Shunyata."
Also in the assembly with Shakyamuni Buddha were RIVER AND SEA
SPIRITS, SPRING AND FOUNTAIN SPIRITS, STREAM AND POND SPIRITS, MEDICINAL HERB
SPIRITS... All medicinal herbs have spirits which watch over them, and so do
trees: TREE AND FOREST SPIRITS, SPIRITS OF DWELLINGS, WATER SPIRITS, FIRE
SPIRITS, EARTH SPIRITS, WIND SPIRITS, LAND SPIRITS, MOUNTAIN SPIRITS, STONE
SPIRITS, PALACE SPIRITS, AND SO FORTH.
Water, fire, earth and wind (air) are the four elements. The
Earth Spirit is a woman who was once very arrogant, thinking she was the only
spirit. The Buddha explained the Dharma to her and told her of the water, fire,
and wind spirits. At first she didn't want to believe, but the Buddha used
various analogies and examples to explain, and finally she believed him.
You could say that tigers are mountain spirits. Some people
make offerings to the Grandfather Mountain Spirit, who is just the tiger.
All rivers have spirits watching over them. Ordinary people
can't see them, but if you obtain the Heavenly Eye, you will see spirits
everywhere.
Pilindavatsa and the River Spirit
The Buddha's disciple Pilindavatsa was an Arhat. One day he wanted to cross a river, and so he said to the spirit of the river; "Little Slave, stop the current." Arhats have the power to command the rivers to stop running. But Pilindavatsa had insulted the River Spirit, and she went straight to the Buddha to complain.
Shakyamuni Buddha said, "When he comes back, I'll make
him apologize."
When Pilindavatsa returned, the Buddha asked him, “Why did you
call the River Spirit “Little Slave?’” Why were you so thoughtless and vulgar?
Go at once and tell her you're sorry."
So Pilindavatsa went back to the River Spirit and said, "Hey,
Little Slave, I'm sorry. Don't hold it against me!"
When Shakyamuni Buddha and the Great Arhats heard this they
laughed out loud. Of course Pilindavatsa should have said, "River
Spirit" or "Venerable Spirit"--anything but "Little
Slave." But, because this River Spirit had in five hundred past lives been
Pilindavatsa's servant, he was still in the habit of calling her “Little Slave.”
Such was the cause and effect.
This incident demonstrates that there are spirits everywhere,
but they are not visible the way people are. One must have attained the Five
Eyes and Six Spiritual Penetrations before one can see them.
KINH VĂN:
THỜI QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ-TÁT, Ư ÐẠI HỘI TRUNG, MẬT PHÓNG THẦN THÔNG
QUANG MINH, CHIẾU DIỆU THẬP PHƯƠNG SÁT ÐỘ CẬP THỬ TAM THIÊN ÐẠI THIÊN THẾ GIỚI,
GIAI TÁC KIM SẮC.
THIÊN CUNG, LONG CUNG, CHƯ TÔN THẦN CUNG, GIAI TẤT CHẤN ÐỘNG.
GIANG HÀ ÐẠI HẢI, THIẾT VI SƠN, TU DI SƠN, THỔ SƠN, HẮC SƠN, DIỆC GIAI ÐẠI ÐỘNG.
NHẬT NGUYỆT CHÂU HỎA, TINH TÚ CHI QUANG, GIAI TẤT BẤT HIỆN.
SUTRA:
AT THAT TIME THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS,
IN THE MIDST OF THE GREAT ASSEMBLY, SECRETLY PUT FORTH SPIRITUALLY PENETRATING
BRIGHT LIGHT WHICH BRILLIANTLY ILLUMINATED THE FIELDS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS AND
REACHED THROUGHOUT THREE THOUSAND GREAT-THOUSAND WORLDS, SO THAT THEY WERE ALL
COLORED GOLD.
ALL THE HEAVENLY PALACES, DRAGON PALACES, AND ALL THE
VENERABLE SPIRIT PALACES TREMBLED. THE LARGE RIVERS, SMALL RIVERS, AND SEAS,
IRON MOUNTAIN, SUMERU MOUNTAIN, LAND MOUNTAIN, AND BLACK MOUNTAIN ALSO SHOOK.
THE PEARL FIRE OF THE SUN AND MOON AND THE LIGHT OF THE CONSTELLATIONS--ALL
CEASED TO SHINE.
Commentary:
THE FIELDS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS are not included in our
universe of three thousand great-thousand worlds, but are located beyond it.
What is meant by THREE THOUSAND GREAT-THOUSAND WORLDS? One
Mount Sumeru, one set of Four Continents, a sun and a moon together make up one
world-system. A thousand world-systems make up one "small" world
system. A thousand small world-systems make up a "middle-sized" world
system. A thousand middle-sized world-systems make up a "large"
world-system. The great world system is called "the three thousand great-thousand
worlds" because, in calculating it, the word "thousand" is used
three times.
We think it remarkable that rockets can go to the moon, and
yet one cannot begin to know how many moons there are outside of this world.
The moons are limitless. You may land on one moon, but there is always one
beyond it, and once you've arrived at the last one, then that's the end of the
world!
Because of the secret power of the Bodhisattva Who Regards the
World's Sounds, there were earthquakes everywhere. When the light was emitted,
THE PEARL FIRE OF THE SUN AND MOON AND THE LIGHT OF THE CONSTELLATIONS--ALL
CEASED TO SHINE. The Bodhisattva's light outshone them all.
KINH VĂN:
Ư THỊ TỔNG TRÌ VƯƠNG BỒ
TÁT, KIẾN THỬ HY HỮU CHI TƯỚNG, QUÁI VỊ TẰNG HỮU, TỨC TÙNG TÒA KHỞI, XOA THỦ HỢP
CHƯỞNG, DĨ KỆ VẤN PHẬT, NHƯ THỬ THẦN THÔNG CHI TƯỚNG, THỊ THÙY SỞ PHÓNG.
DĨ KỆ VẤN VIẾT:
"THÙY
Ư KIM NHẬT THÀNH CHÁNH GIÁC,
PHỔ
PHÓNG NHƯ THỊ ÐẠI QUANG MINH,
THẬP
PHƯƠNG SÁT ÐỘ GIAI KIM SẮC,
TAM
THIÊN THẾ GIỚI DIỆC PHỤC NHIÊN?
THÙY
Ư KIM NHẬT ÐẮC TỰ TẠI,
DIỄN
PHÓNG HY HỮU ÐẠI THẦN LỰC,
VÔ
BIÊN PHẬT QUỐC GIAI CHẤN ÐỘNG,
LONG
THẦN CUNG ÐIỆN TẤT BẤT AN?
KIM
THỬ ÐẠI CHÚNG HÀM HỮU NGHI,
BẤT
TRẮC NHÂN DUYÊN THỊ THÙY LỰC,
VI
PHẬT, BỒ TÁT, ÐẠI THANH VĂN,
VI
PHẠM MA THIÊN, CHƯ THÍCH ÐẲNG?
DUY
NGUYỆN THẾ TÔN ÐẠI TỪ BI,
THUYẾT
THỬ THẦN THÔNG SỞ DO DĨ."
PHẬT CÁO TỔNG TRÌ VƯƠNG BỒ
TÁT NGÔN: "THIỆN NAM TỬ! NHỮ ÐẲNG ÐƯƠNG TRI, KIM THỬ HỘI TRUNG, HỮU NHẤT
BỒ-TÁT MA-HA-TÁT DANH VIẾT QUÁN-THẾ-ÂM TỰ-TẠI, TÙNG VÔ LƯỢNG KIẾP LAI, THÀNH
TỰU ÐẠI TỪ ÐẠI BI, THIỆN NĂNG TU TẬP VÔ LƯỢNG ÐÀ-LA-NI MÔN, VI DỤC AN LẠC CHƯ CHÚNG
SANH CỐ, MẬT PHÓNG NHƯ THỊ ÐẠI THẦN THÔNG LỰC."
PHẬT THUYẾT THỊ NGỮ DĨ, NHĨ
THỜI QUÁN-THẾ-ÂM BỒ-TÁT TÙNG TÒA NHI KHỞI, CHỈNH LÝ Y PHỤC, HƯỚNG PHẬT HỢP
CHƯỞNG, BẠCH PHẬT NGÔN: "THẾ TÔN! NGÃ HỮU ÐẠI BI TÂM ÐÀ-LA-NI CHÚ, KIM
ÐƯƠNG DỤC THUYẾT, VI CHƯ CHÚNG SANH ÐẮC AN LẠC CỐ, TRỪ NHẤT THIẾT BỆNH CỐ, ÐẮC
THỌ MẠNG CỐ, ÐẮC PHÚ NHIÊU CỐ, DIỆT TRỪ NHẤT THIẾT ÁC NGHIỆP TRỌNG TỘI CỐ, LY
CHƯỚNG NẠN CỐ, TĂNG TRƯỞNG NHẤT THIẾT BẠCH PHÁP CHƯ CÔNG ÐỨC CỐ, THÀNH TỰU NHẤT
THIẾT CHƯ THIỆN CĂN CỐ, VIỄN LY NHẤT THIẾT CHƯ BỐ ÚY CỐ, TỐC NĂNG MÃN TÚC NHẤT
THIẾT CHƯ HY CẦU CỐ, DUY NGUYỆN THẾ-TÔN TỪ AI THÍNH HỨA."
SUTRA:
AT THAT TIME UNITING AND HOLDING KING BODHISATTVA, SEEING THIS
RARE AND UNHEARD-OF APPEARANCE, AROSE FROM HIS SEAT, JOINED HIS PALMS, AND WITH
A VERSE, ASKED THE BUDDHA WHO IT WAS WHO HAD PUT FORTH SUCH AN APPEARANCE OF
SPIRITUAL PENETRATION.
THE VERSE RUNS:
WHO ON THIS DAY HAS REALIZED RIGHT ENLIGHTENMENT,
PUTTING FORTH SUCH GREAT BRILLIANT LIGHT?
THE FIELDS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS ARE ALL COLORED GOLD,
AND THREE THOUSAND WORLD SYSTEMS ARE ALSO SHINING.
WHO ON THIS DAY HAS ATTAINED COMFORT,
DIFFUSING SPIRITUAL POWERS, GREAT AND RARE?
BOUNDLESS BUDDHALANDS TREMBLE AND SHAKE,
DRAGON AND SPIRIT PALACES ARE NOT AT PEACE.
THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY NOW HOLDS DOUBTS,
NOT KNOWING WHOSE POWER CREATED THESE CONDITIONS,
IS IT THE BUDDHA, THE BODHISATTVAS, OR THE GREAT SOUND
HEARERS?
THE BRAHMA GODS, MARA GODS, OR SHAKRA PERHAPS?
WE PRAY FOR THE WORLD HONORED ONE'S GREAT COMPASSION,
TO EXPLAIN TO US THE CAUSE OF THIS SPIRITUAL PENETRATION.
THE BUDDHA TOLD UNITING AND HOLDING KING BODHISATTVA, “GOOD
MAN, YOU SHOULD ALL KNOW THAT PRESENT IN THIS ASSEMBLY IS A BODHISATTVA, MAHASATTVA
NAMED THE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS IN COMFORT WHO, FROM THE REMOTEST
PAST ONWARDS HAS ATTAINED GREAT KINDNESS AND COMPASSION AND WHO IS FULLY ABLE
TO PRACTICE THE LIMITLESS DHARANI-DOORS. DESIRING TO DELIGHT ALL BEINGS AND TO
MAKE THEM PEACEFUL, HE SECRETLY PUTS FORTH SUCH GREAT SPIRITUAL PENETRATION
POWER AS THIS.”
AFTER THE BUDDHA HAD FINISHED SPEAKING, THE BODHISATTVA WHO
REGARDS THE SOUNDS OF THE WORLD THEN AROSE FROM HIS SEAT, ARRANGED HIS ROBES;
INCLINED HIS JOINED HANDS TOWARDS THE BUDDHA AND SAID, "WORLD HONORED ONE,
I HAVE A GREAT COMPASSION DHARANI-MANTRA WHICH I NOW WISH TO SPEAK SO THAT ALL
LIVING BEINGS MIGHT OBTAIN PEACE AND DELIGHT, BE RID OF EVERY SICKNESS, AND
ATTAIN LONG LIFE; SO THAT THEY MIGHT OBTAIN PROSPERITY, WIPE AWAY THE EVIL
KARMA OF HEAVY OFFENSES, SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM OBSTACLES AND HARDSHIPS, GROW
IN ALL THE PURE DHARMAS AND IN EVERY KIND OF MERIT AND VIRTUE; SO THAT THEY
MIGHT CREATE ONLY GOOD ROOTS, BECOME SEPARATE FROM FEAR, AND QUICKLY FULFILL
ALL THEIR LONGINGS. WORLD HONORED ONE, PLEASE BE MERCIFUL AND ALLOW IT TO BE
HEARD."
Commentary:
The Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds wished to speak
the Great Compassion Mantra so that all living beings might be happy, fearless,
and healthy. The Great Compassion Mantra can cure any illness and lengthen
LIFE; it also increases one's wealth and property and wipes away the KARMA of
heavy offenses, including the five rebellious acts and the ten evil deeds.
Reciting the mantra makes the wholesome and PURE DHARMAS increase and the
defiled and evil ones decrease. It also dispels FEAR; so whoever is afraid of
flying in airplanes should recite this mantra.
For these reasons, the Bodhisattva asked the Buddha for
permission to speak the Great Compassion Mantra.
KINH VĂN:
PHẬT NGÔN: "THIỆN NAM TỬ! NHỮ ÐẠI TỪ BI, AN LẠC CHÚNG SANH, DỤC
THUYẾT THẦN CHÚ, KIM CHÁNH THỊ THỜI, NGHI ƯNG TỐC THUYẾT, NHƯ LAI TÙY HỶ, CHƯ
PHẬT DIỆC NHIÊN."
QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT TRÙNG BẠCH PHẬT NGÔN: "THẾ TÔN! NGÃ NIỆM
QUÁ KHỨ VÔ LƯỢNG ỨC KIẾP, HỮU PHẬT XUẤT THẾ DANH VIẾT THIÊN QUANG VƯƠNG TĨNH TRỤ
NHƯ LAI. BỈ PHẬT THẾ TÔN, LÂN NIỆM NGÃ CỐ, CẬP VI NHẤT THIẾT CHƯ CHÚNG SANH CỐ,
THUYẾT THỬ QUẢNG ÐẠI VIÊN MÃN VÔ NGẠI ÐẠI BI TÂM ÐÀ-LA-NI, DĨ KIM SẮC THỦ, MA
NGÃ ÐẢNH THƯỢNG, TÁC NHƯ THỊ NGÔN:
THIỆN NAM TỬ! NHỮ ÐƯƠNG
TRÌ THỬ TÂM CHÚ, PHỔ VI VỊ LAI ÁC THẾ NHẤT THIẾT CHÚNG SANH, TÁC ÐẠI LỢI LẠC.
NGÃ Ư THỊ THỜI. THỦY TRỤ
SƠ ÐỊA, NHẤT VĂN THỬ CHÚ CỐ, SIÊU ÐỆ BÁT ÐỊA, NGÃ THỜI TÂM HOAN HỶ CỐ, TỨC PHÁT
THỆ NGÔN:
NHƯỢC NGÃ ÐƯƠNG LAI, KHAM
NĂNG LỢI ÍCH AN LẠC NHẤT THIẾT CHÚNG SANH GIẢ, LINH NGÃ TỨC THỜI THÂN SANH
THIÊN THỦ THIÊN NHÃN CỤ TÚC!
PHÁT THỊ NGUYỆN DĨ, ƯNG
THỜI THÂN THƯỢNG THIÊN THỦ THIÊN NHÃN TẤT GIAI CỤ TÚC, THẬP PHƯƠNG ÐẠI ÐỊA LỤC
CHỦNG CHẤN ÐỘNG, THẬP PHƯƠNG THIÊN PHẬT, TẤT PHÓNG QUANG MINH, CHIẾU XÚC NGÃ
THÂN, CẬP CHIẾU THẬP PHƯƠNG VÔ BIÊN THẾ GIỚI.
TÙNG THỊ DĨ HẬU, PHỤC Ư VÔ
LƯỢNG PHẬT SỞ, VÔ LƯỢNG HỘI TRUNG, TRÙNG CÁNH ÐẮC VĂN, THÂN THỪA THỌ TRÌ THỊ
ÐÀ-LA-NI, PHỤC SANH HOAN HỶ, DŨNG DƯỢC VÔ LƯỢNG, TIỆN ÐẮC SIÊU VIỆT VÔ SỐ ỨC
KIẾP VI TẾ SANH TỬ.
TÙNG THỊ DĨ LAI THƯỜNG SỞ TỤNG TRÌ, VỊ TẰNG PHẾ VONG.
SUTRA:
THE BUDDHA SAID, "GOOD MAN, YOUR GREAT COMPASSION PUTS
LIVING BEINGS AT EASE. YOU WISH TO SPEAK THE SPIRITUAL MANTRA; NOW IS THE
PROPER TIME. IT IS RIGHT AND FITTING THAT YOU SPEAK IT WITHOUT DELAY. THE WORLD
HONORED ONE AND ALL THE BUDDHAS APPROVE."
THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS AGAIN ADDRESSED
THE BUDDHA, SAYING, "WORLD HONORED ONE, I RECALL THAT IN THE PAST,
UNCOUNTABLE MILLIONS OF AEONS AGO, A BUDDHA NAMED THOUSAND RAY KING WHO DWELLS
IN STILLNESS THUS COME ONE APPEARED IN THE WORLD. OUT OF PITY FOR ME AND ALL
LIVING BEINGS, THAT BUDDHA, THE WORLD HONORED ONE, SPOKE THIS VAST, GREAT,
PERFECT, FULL, UNIMPEDED, GREAT COMPASSION HEART DHARANI. WITH HIS
GOLDEN-COLORED HAND HE RUBBED THE CROWN OF MY HEAD AND SPOKE THUS:
"'GOOD MAN, YOU SHOULD NOW HOLD THIS HEART MANTRA FOR THE
SAKE OF ALL LIVING BEINGS IN THE EVIL TIMES OF THE FUTURE, FOR IT WILL CAUSE
THEM GREAT BENEFIT AND DELIGHT.'
"I WAS THEN DWELLING AS A BEGINNER AT THE FIRST GROUND,
BUT UPON ONCE HEARING THIS MANTRA, ASCENDED TO THE EIGHTH GROUND. AT THAT TIME,
BECAUSE OF THE GREAT JOY IN MY HEART, I MADE THIS VOW:
'IF, IN THE FUTURE, I AM ABLE TO BENEFIT LIVING BEINGS AND
MAKE THEM HAPPY, THEN MAY MY BODY RIGHT NOW BE COMPLETE WITH A THOUSAND HANDS
AND A THOUSAND EYES.'
"AFTER MAKING THIS VOW, MY BODY IMMEDIATELY WAS FULLY
COMPLETE WITH A THOUSAND HANDS AND A THOUSAND EYES. IN THE TEN DIRECTIONS, THE
GREAT EARTH TREMBLED IN SIX WAYS. A THOUSAND BUDDHAS IN THE TEN DIRECTIONS EACH
EMITTED BRIGHT LIGHT WHICH ILLUMINATED MY BODY AND THE BOUNDLESS WORLDS OF THE
TEN DIRECTIONS.
FROM THAT TIME ONWARD, ALL BEINGS IN THE PLACES OF THE
COUNTLESS BUDDHAS AND IN LIMITLESS ASSEMBLIES WERE ABLE TO HEAR, PERSONALLY
ACCEPT, AND MAINTAIN THIS DHARANI. THERE WAS HAPPINESS AND DANCING FOR JOY
WITHOUT END AS THEY TRANSCENDED COUNTLESS MILLIONS OF AEONS OF SUBTLE BIRTH AND
DEATH.
FROM THAT
TIME ONWARD, THE MANTRA HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY RECITED AND NEVER FORGOTTEN."
Commentary:
UNCOUNTABLE MILLIONS OF AEONS AGO means that there is no way
to tell how many aeons ago it was when the Buddha Thousand Ray King Who Dwells
in Stillness appeared in the world.
"GOOD MAN," he said to the Bodhisattva, "YOU
SHOULD NOW HOLD and recite THIS HEART MANTRA, the Great Compassion Mantra, FOR
THE SAKE OF ALL LIVING BEINGS IN THE EVIL TIMES OF THE FUTURE, in the time of
the five turbidities: the aeon turbidity, the view turbidity, the affliction
turbidity, the living beings turbidity, and the lifespan turbidity." That
time is now.
When the Buddha Thousand Ray King Who Dwells in Stillness spoke
this mantra, The Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds was dwelling at the
FIRST GROUND, that of Happiness. Once hearing the mantra, he skipped all the
way to the EIGHTH, or Unmoving GROUND. At that moment, he vowed, "IF, IN
THE FUTURE, I AM ABLE TO BENEFIT LIVING BEINGS, THEN MAY MY BODY RIGHT NOW BE
COMPLETE WITH A THOUSAND HANDS AND A THOUSAND EYES."
Sure enough, right after he made the vow, a thousand hands and
eyes appeared on his body. THE GREAT EARTH of the ten directions shook in SIX
WAYS:
What are the six types of earthquakes? The following three
refer to movement: shaking, rising, surging. The following three refer to
sounds: banging, roaring, cracking.
MILLIONS OF AEONS OF SUBTLE BIRTH AND DEATH.. are two types of
birth and death. The first is "share section" birth and death, the
birth and death the physical body. Arhats have ended this kind of "share
section" birth and death. The second is "change" birth and
death--the subtle shift and flow of thoughts. Bodhisattvas have ended both
kinds of birth and death. In the text, "subtle birth and death,"
then, refers to "change" birth and death.
FROM THAT TIME ONWARD, THE MANTRA HAS BEEN CONSTANTLY RECITED AND NEVER FORGOTTEN--not even for one day.
KINH VĂN:
DO TRÌ THỬ CHÚ CỐ, SỞ SANH CHI XỨ, HẰNG TẠI PHẬT TIỀN, LIÊN HOA
HÓA SANH, BẤT THỌ THAI TẠNG CHI THÂN.
NHƯỢC HỮU TỲ KHEO, TỲ KHEO NI, ƯU BÀ TẮC, ƯU BÀ DI, ÐỒNG NAM, ÐỒNG
NỮ, DỤC TỤNG TRÌ GIẢ, Ư CHƯ CHÚNG SANH KHỞI TỪ BI TÂM, TIÊN ÐƯƠNG TÙNG NGÃ PHÁT
NHƯ THỊ NGUYỆN:
1) "NAM MÔ ÐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM, NGUYỆN NGÃ TỐC TRI NHẤT THIẾT PHÁP;
2) NAM MÔ ÐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM, NGUYỆN NGÃ TẢO ÐẮC TRÍ HUỆ NHÃN;
3) NAM MÔ ÐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM, NGUYỆN NGÃ TỐC ÐỘ NHẤT THIẾT CHÚNG;
4) NAM MÔ ÐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM, NGUYỆN NGÃ TẢO ÐẮC THIỆN PHƯƠNG TIỆN;
5) NAM MÔ ÐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM, NGUYỆN NGÃ TỐC THỪA BÁT-NHÃ THUYỀN;
6) NAM MÔ ÐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM, NGUYỆN NGÃ TẢO ÐẮC VIỆT KHỔ HẢI;
7) NAM MÔ ÐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM, NGUYỆN NGÃ TỐC ÐẮC GIỚI ÐỊNH ÐẠO;
8) NAM MÔ ÐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM, NGUYỆN NGÃ TẢO ÐĂNG NIẾT-BÀN SƠN;
9) NAM MÔ ÐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM, NGUYỆN NGÃ TỐC HỘI VÔ-VI XÁ;
10) NAM MÔ ÐẠI BI QUÁN THẾ ÂM, NGUYỆN NGÃ TẢO ÐỒNG PHÁP TÁNH THÂN.
NGÃ NHƯỢC HƯỚNG ÐAO SƠN,
ÐAO SƠN TỰ TỒI CHIẾT;
NGÃ NHƯỢC HƯỚNG HỎA THANG,
HỎA THANG TỰ KHÔ KIỆT;
NGÃ NHƯỢC HƯỚNG ÐỊA NGỤC,
ÐỊA NGỤC TỰ TIÊU DIỆT;
NGÃ NHƯỢC HƯỚNG NGẠ QUỶ,
NGẠ QUỶ TỰ BÃO MÃN;
NGÃ NHƯỢC HƯỚNG TU-LA, ÁC
TÂM TỰ ÐIỀU PHỤC;
NGÃ NHƯỢC HƯỚNG SÚC SANH,
TỰ ÐẮC ÐẠI TRÍ HUỆ."
SUTRA:
"BECAUSE ONE HOLDS THIS MANTRA,
ONE IS ALWAYS BORN IN THE PRESENCE OF THE BUDDHAS. ONE IS BORN BY TRANSFORMATION
FROM A LOTUS, AND IS NEVER BORN FROM A WOMB.
IF THERE ARE BHIKSHUS, BHIKSHUNIS, UPASAKAS, UPASIKAS, YOUNG MEN OR YOUNG WOMEN WHO WISH TO RECITE AND HOLD THIS MANTRA, AND TO BRING FORTH A HEART OF GREAT COMPASSION FOR ALL BEINGS, THEY SHOULD FIRST FOLLOW ME IN MAKING THESE VOWS:
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, MAY I QUICKLY KNOW ALL DHARMAS.
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, MAY I SOON ATTAIN THE WISDOM-EYE.
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, MAY I QUICKLY SAVE ALL BETNGS.
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, MAY I SOON ATTAIN GOOD SKILL-IN-MEANS.
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, MAY I QUICKLY BOARD THE PRAJNA-BOAT.
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, MAY I SOON GET OUT OF THE SEA OF SUFFERING.
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, MAY I QUICKLY ATTAIN MORALITY, SAMADHI, AND THE WAY.
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, MAY I SOON ASCEND NIRVANA MOUNTAIN.
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, MAY I QUICKLY DWELL IN THE UNCONDITIONED.
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE
WORLD'S SOUNDS, MAY I SOON UNITE WITH THE DHARMA-NATURE BODY.
WHEN I FACE THE MOUNTAIN OF KNIVES, THE MOUNTAIN OF KNIVES OF ITSELF BREAKS UP;
WHEN I FACE THE BOILING OIL, THE BOILING OIL OF ITSELF DRIES UP.
WHEN I FACE THE HELLS, THE HELLS OF THEMSELVES DISAPPEAR.
WHEN I FACE THE HUNGRY GHOSTS, THE HUNGRY GHOSTS OF THEMSELVES ARE FULL.
WHEN FACE THE ASURAS, THEIR EVIL THOUGHTS OF THEMSELVES ARE TAMED.
WHEN I FACE THE ANIMALS, THEY
THEMSELVES ATTAIN GREAT WISDOM.
Commentary:
Those who recite the Great Compassion Mantra are ALWAYS BORN
IN THE PRESENCE OF THE BUDDHAS, at a time when a Buddha is in the world. They
are BORN BY TRANSFORMATION FROM A LOTUS, and NEVER
receive an unclean WOMB-born body.
IF THERE ARE BHIKSHUS, men who have left home, BHIKSHUNIS,
women who have left home, UPASAKAS, men at home, UPASIKAS, women at home, YOUNG
MEN OR YOUNG WOMEN WHO WISH TO RECITE AND HOLD THIS MANTRA, they should first
BRING FORTH A HEART OF GREAT COMPASSION and then make the following ten VOWS:
NAMO COMPASSIONATE ONE WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS...We
make these vows before the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds.
"Namo" is a Sanskrit word which means "to return one's
life," to give one's life to the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's
Sounds. It also means "to reverently return one's life and submit to
return to and take refuge with the Bodhisattva.
Namo Buddha means "take refuge with the Buddha.
Namo Dharma means "take refuge with the Dharma.
Namo Sangha means "take refuge with the Sangha.
Namo Compassionate One Who Regards the World's Sounds means
"to take refuge with the Compassionate One Who Regards the World's Sounds.”
After taking refuge
with the Bodhisattva, one make the following vows:
Namo Compassionate One Who-Regards the World's Sounds...
1. MAY I QUICKLY KNOW ALL DHARMAS. Now that I have taken
refuge with you, Bodhisattva, please help me quickly to understand the
Buddhadharma.
2. MAY I SOON ATTAIN THE WISDOM-EYE. Worldly people who have
obtained the Five Eyes and Six Spiritual Penetrations have done so because in
the past they recite the Great Compassion Mantra, took refuge with the Bodhisattva
Who Regards the World's Sounds, and thereby obtained the Wisdom-Eye.
3. MAY I QUICKLY SAVE ALL BEINGS. Why have I learned all
Dharmas and obtained the Wisdom-Eye" It was in order to save all living
beings.
4. MAY I SOON ATTAIN GOOD SKILL-IN-MEANS. Wishing to save all
beings, one must have clever, expedient devices to be able to teach them the
Dharma which is appropriate, to dispense the medicine according to the sickness.
5. MAY I QUICKLY BOARD THE PRAJNA-BOAT, the boat of Prajna
wisdom.
6. MAY I SOON GET OUT OF THE SEA OF SUFFERING. Once in the
Prajna boat, I can sail right across the sea of suffering, the sea of birth and
death.
7. MAY I QUICKLY ATTAIN MORALITY, SAMADHI; AND THE WAY
8. MAY I SOON ASCEND NIRVANA MOUNTAIN.
9. MAY I QUICKLY DWELL IN THE UNCONDITIONED. The unconditioned
dwelling refers to the unconditioned Dharma
10. MAY I SOON UNITE WITH THE DHARMA-NATURE BODY. May I
certify to the attainment of the body of the Dharma-nature.
If, while I recite the Great Compassion Mantra, I FACE THE MOUNTAIN
OF KNIVES, it will simply fall to pieces.
If, while I recite the Great Compassion Mantra, I FACE THE
BOILING OIL, it will evaporate.
If, while reciting the mantra, I FACE THE HELLS, they will
transform into the heavens.
If I FACE THE HUNGRY GHOSTS and recite, their hunger and
thirst will be satisfied.
If I FACE THE ASURAS and recite, their evil hearts will be
tamed and they will take refuge, too.
If I FACE THE stupid ANIMALS, they will all become very wise.
KINH VĂN:
PHÁT THỊ NGUYỆN DĨ, CHÍ TÂM XƯNG NIỆM NGÃ CHI DANH TỰ, DIỆC ƯNG
CHUYÊN NIỆM NGÃ BỔN SƯ A-DI-ÐÀ NHƯ-LAI; NHIÊN HẬU TỨC ÐƯƠNG TỤNG THỬ ÐÀ-LA-NI
THẦN CHÚ. NHẤT TÚC TỤNG MÃN NGŨ BIẾN, TRỪ DIỆT THÂN TRUNG BÁCH THIÊN VẠN ỨC KIẾP
SANH TỬ TRỌNG TỘI.
SUTRA:
AFTER MAKING THESE VOWS, YOU SHOULD RECITE MY NAME WITH A
SINCERE HEART AND ALSO RECITE SINGLEMINDEDLY THE NAME OF MY TEACHER, THE THUS
COME ONE, AMITABHA. AFTERWARDS, YOU SHOULD RECITE THIS DHARANI, THE SPIRITUAL
MANTRA, TO RECITE IT A FULL FIVE TIMES IN ONE EVENING IS TO WIPE AWAY YOUR
HEAVY OFFENSES OF HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MILLIONS OF AEONS
OF BIRTH AND DEATH.
Commentary:
"It's not enough," said the Bodhisattva Who Regards
the World's Sounds, "just to recite MY NAME. You must also recite the name
of MY TEACHER, THE THUS COME ONE, AMITABHA." Seek the root of the tree,
the source of the waters; and recite "Namo Amitabha Buddha," too. Then
recite the Uniting and Holding Great Compassion Mantra. If you can recite it A
FULL FIVE TIMES every night, you'll be able to get rid of the karma you have
created in your passage through BIRTH AND DEATH during billions of aeons.
KINH VĂN:
QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT PHỤC BẠCH PHẬT NGÔN: “THẾ TÔN! NHƯỢC CHƯ NHÂN
THIÊN TỤNG TRÌ ÐẠI BI CHƯƠNG CÚ GIẢ, LÂM MẠNG CHUNG THỜI, THẬP PHƯƠNG CHƯ PHẬT
GIAI LAI THỌ THỦ; DỤC SANH HÀ ÐẲNG PHẬT ÐỘ, TÙY NGUYỆN GIAI ÐẮC VÃNG SANH.”
PHỤC BẠCH PHẬT NGÔN: "THẾ TÔN!
NHƯỢC CHƯ CHÚNG SANH TỤNG TRÌ ÐẠI BI THẦN CHÚ, ÐỌA TAM ÁC ÐẠO GIẢ, NGÃ THỆ BẤT
THÀNH CHÁNH GIÁC.TỤNG TRÌ ÐẠI BI THẦN CHÚ GIẢ, NHƯỢC BẤT SANH CHƯ PHẬT QUỐC
GIẢ, NGÃ THỆ BẤT THÀNH CHÁNH GIÁC. TỤNG TRÌ ÐẠI BI THẦN CHÚ GIẢ, NHƯỢC
BẤT ÐẮC VÔ LƯỢNG TAM-MUỘI BIỆN TÀI GIẢ, NGÃ THỆ BẤT THÀNH CHÁNH GIÁC." TỤNG
TRÌ ÐẠI BI THẦN CHÚ GIẢ, Ư HIỆN TẠI SANH TRUNG, NHẤT THIẾT SỞ CẦU NHƯỢC BẤT QUẢ
TOẠI GIẢ, BẤT ÐẮC VI ÐẠI BI TÂM ÐÀ-LA-NI DÃ;
SUTRA:
THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS AGAIN ADDRESSED
THE BUDDHA, SAYING, "WORLD HONORED ONE, IF HUMANS AND GODS RECITE AND HOLD
THE PHRASES OF THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA, THEN WHEN THEY APPROACH THE END OF
LIFE, ALL THE BUDDHAS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS WILL COME TO TAKE THEM BY THE HAND
TO REBIRTH IN WHATEVER BUDDHALAND THEY WISH, ACCORDING TO THEIR DESIRE."
HE FURTHER SAID TO THE BUDDHA, "WORLD HONORED ONE, SHOULD
ANY LIVING BEING WHO RECITES AND HOLDS THE SPIRITUAL MANTRA OF GREAT COMPASSION
FALL INTO THE THREE EVIL PATHS, I VOW NOT TO REALIZE THE RIGHT ENLIGHTENMENT.
SHOULD ANY LIVING BEING WHO RECITES AND HOLDS THE SPIRITUAL MANTRA OF GREAT
COMPASSION NOT BE REBORN IN ANY BUDDHALAND, I VOW NOT TO REALIZE THE RIGHT
ENLIGHTENMENT. SHOULD ANY LIVING BEING WHO RECITES AND HOLDS THE SPIRITUAL
MANTRA OF GREAT COMPASSION NOT OBTAIN UNLIMITED SAMADHIS AND ELOQUENCE, I VOW
NOT TO REALIZE THE RIGHT ENLIGHTENMENT. SHOULD ANY LIVING BEING WHO RECITES AND
HOLDS THE SPIRITUAL MANTRA OF GREAT COMPASSION NOT OBTAIN THE FRUITS OF
WHATEVER IS SOUGHT IN THIS VERY LIFE, THEN HE CANNOT HAVE BEEN MAKING PROPER
USE OF THE DHARANI OF THE GREAT COMPASSION HEART.”
Commentary
"I vow," says the Bodhisattva Who Regards the
World's Sounds, "that if even one living being who recites the Great
Compassion Mantra falls into the THREE EVIL PATHS, that is, the hells, the
realm of hungry ghosts, or the realm of the animals, I will not REALIZE THE
RIGHT ENLIGHTENMENT."
UNLIMITED ELOQUENCE refers to great wisdom and the ability to
lecture on the Dharma and explain the Sutras.
If you recite this mantra and don't 0BTAIN THE FRUIT OF
WHATEVER IS SOUGHT IN THIS VERY LIFE, then you cannot HAVE BEEN MAKING PROPER
USE OF THE DHARANI OF THE GREAT COMPASSION HEART.
KINH VĂN:
DUY TRỪ BẤT THIỆN, TRỪ BẤT CHÍ THÀNH. NHƯỢC CHƯ NỮ NHÂN YẾM TIỆN
NỮ THÂN, DỤC THÀNH NAM TỬ THÂN, TỤNG TRÌ ÐẠI BI ÐÀ-LA-NI CHƯƠNG CÚ, NHƯỢC BẤT
CHUYỂN NỮ THÂN THÀNH NAM TỬ THÂN GIẢ, NGÃ THỆ BẤT THÀNH CHÁNH GIÁC; SANH THIỂU
NGHI TÂM GIẢ, TẤT BẤT QUẢ TOẠI DÃ.
SUTRA
MERELY CAST OUT WHAT IS UNWHOLESOME AND WHAT IS INSINCERE.
SHOULD A WOMAN WHO DISLIKES HER FEMALE BODY AND WISHES TO BECOME A MAN RECITE
THE PHRASES OF THE GREAT COMPASSION DHARANI AND CHANGE FROM A FEMALE TO A MALE,
I VOW NOT TO REALIZE THE RIGHT ENLIGHTENMENT. BUT IF THE SLIGHTEST DOUBT IS
PRODUCED, THE RESULT WILL NOT FOLLOW.
Commentary:
CAST OUT RAT IS UNWHOLESOME AND WHAT IS INSINCERE… You must
understand this point clearly: If you recite the Great Compassion Mantra on one
hand, and on the other kill, steal, and practice sexual misconduct, lie, take
intoxicants, drink wine, and eat meat, then you will derive no benefit from
your recitation, because you insist on indulging your bad habits.
What is "insincerity?" If you recite the mantra casually
thinking, "I'll try it out and see if it is efficacious,” it won't be
efficacious. If you don't test it, it's efficacious, but if you test it, it's
not. Why? The Buddhas and Bodhisattvas don't need you to test them. They test living
beings; living beings don't test them. Your wishing to test them displays your
insincerity, and so the recitation will not work.
"SHOULD A WOMAN WHO DISLIKES HER FEMALE BODY
recite the Great Compassion Mantra, she can change from female
to male." The important point here is that she will not change in this
life, but in a future life.
BUT IF THE SLIGHTEST DOUBT IS PRODUCED, THE RESULT WILL NOT
FOLLOW." If you think, "Nothing could be as wonderful as this is
supposed to be," then you will not get your wish.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC CHƯ CHÚNG SANH XÂM TỔN THƯỜNG TRỤ ẨM THỰC TÀI VẬT, THIÊN PHẬT
XUẤT THẾ BẤT THÔNG SÁM HỐI, TÚNG SÁM DIỆC BẤT TRỪ DIỆT, KIM TỤNG ÐẠI BI THẦN
CHÚ, TỨC ÐẮC TRỪ DIỆT.
SUTRA:
IF LIVING BEINGS USURP THE FOOD, DRINK, AND POSSESSIONS OF THE
PERMANENTLY DWELLING, ALTHOUGH A THOUSAND BUDDHAS APPEAR IN THE WORLD, THEY
WILL NOT GET TO REPENT AND REFORM. SHOULD THEY REPENT, THEIR OFFENSES WILL NOT
BE ERADICATED. BUT NOW, TO RECITE THIS SPIRITUAL MANTRA OF GREAT COMPASSION IS
TO WIPE AWAY EVEN THOSE OFFENSES.
Commentary:
Perhaps they ate the food of the Bodhimanda, consume the food
of the temple without offering money in return, or perhaps they borrowed
something and didn't turn it…
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC XÂM TỔN THỰC DỤNG THƯỜNG TRỤ ẨM THỰC TÀI VẬT, YẾU ÐỐI THẬP
PHƯƠNG SƯ SÁM TẠ, NHIÊN THỦY TRỪ DIỆT; KIM TỤNG ÐẠI BI ÐÀ-LA-NI THỜI, THẬP
PHƯƠNG SƯ TỨC LAI VI TÁC CHỨNG MINH, NHẤT THIẾT TỘI CHƯỚNG, TẤT GIAI TIÊU DIỆT.
SUTRA:
ONE WHO HAS USURPED THE FOOD, DRINK, OR POSSESIONS OF THE
PERMANENTLY DWELLING SHOULD REPENT BEFORE THE MASTERS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS;
THE OFFENSES WILL THEN BE WIPED AWAY. WHEN ONE RECITES THE GREAT COMPASSION
DHARANI, THE MASTERS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS COME TO GUARANTEE THAT ALL
OFFENSE-OBSTACLES ARE COMPLETELY WIPED AWAY. ALL HEAVY EVIL KARMIC OFFENSES
SUCH AS THE TEN EVILS, THE FIVE REBELLIOUS ACTS, SLANDERING PEOPLE, SLANDERING
THE DHARMA, BREAKING THE RULES OF PURE EATING, BREAKING THE PRECEPTS, DESTROYING
STUPAS OR TEMPLES, STEALING FROM THE SANGHA, DEFILING PURE BRAHMAN CONDUCT, ALL
ARE COMPLETELY ERADICATED. THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION: IF ONE HAS DOUBT WITH REGARD
TO THIS MANTRA, THEN EVEN SMALL OFFENSES AND LIGHT KARMA WILL NOT BE DESTROYED,
HOW MUCH THE LESS THE HEAVY KARMA. ALTHOUGH HEAVY OFFENSES ARE NOT DESTROYED,
ONE MAY STILL PLANT THE DISTANT CAUSES OF BODHI.
Commentary:
The MASTERS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS are the Buddhas of the ten
directions.
The TEN EVILS are:
Three with the body:
1) killing
2) stealing
3) sexual misconduct
Three with the mind:
4) greed
5) hate
6) stupidity
Four with the mouth:
7) irresponsible speech
8) false speech
9) abusive speech
10) duplicitous speech
The FIVE REBELLIOUS
ACTS:
1) killing one's father
2) killing one's mother
3) killing an Arhat
4) shedding the blood a Buddha
5) causing disharmony in the Sangha.
SLANDERING PEOPLE: Someone may be a virtuous cultivator, but
someone else slanders him saying, "He's totally useless; don't even
mention his name." Slandering the Sangha and slandering the Buddhadharma,
breaking the rules of pure eating by eating meat, breaking precepts, ruining
temples, stealing from the Sangha, defiling the conduct of the pure--all this
evil karma can be wiped away if you recite the Great Compassion Mantra.
THERE IS ONE EXCEPTION: IF ONE HAS DOUBT WITH REGARD TO THIS
MANTRA, THEN EVEN SMALL OFFENSES AND LIGHT KARMA WILL NOT BE DESTROYED, HOW
MUCH THE LESS HEAVY KARMA. This is a most important sentence. One exception:
Should you think, "Is this mantra truly efficacious? They say it has a
wonderful response, but I’ve never seen it. Whether it's true or false, I don't
ultimately know." With this lack of faith, the mantra will be totally
without effect. Why? Because you do not believe in it.
Suppose you ask a favor of a friend. You have to trust him;
otherwise the friend won't care to help you out. The mantra works this way,
too. If you have doubts, you won't obey the mantra's teaching or offer up your
conduct in accord with it, and so even small offenses and light karma won't be
wiped away. For example, the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds tells
you to recite the mantra five times every evening but you recite it four times,
thinking it doesn't really matter because the mantra is the same no matter how
many times you recite it. The next evening you're a bit more vigorous and
recite it one hundred times. This is like eating twenty bowls of food one day
and the next day eating nothing at all. If the instructions are to recite it
five times a day, then recite it five times a day, not six or four.
"But I forget how many times I've recited it, you say."I
lose track."
In that case you haven't recited it at all! You must remember
clearly how many times you've recited it. Don't pretend that you've gone to
samadhi, and then doze off while reciting. Cultivate according to directions.
A small doubt might lead you to think, "I'll do this one
bad deed. No one will know. I'm not reciting the mantra, so the mantra spirits
aren't around to see. I’ll have a glass of wine, no problem." This is to
doubt the mantra. You must not have a particle of doubt Follow the rules, and
cultivate according to Dharma.
If small offenses and light karma are not destroyed, how much
the less the heavy karma. But although your heavy karma is not immediately
wiped away, you may still plant the causes of Bodhi, and in the future--one
knows not in what great aeon--the Bodhi seed will sprout, and the sprout will
mature into the fruit of Buddhahood. If you recite the mantra, sooner or later,
that sprout will come up.
KINH VĂN:
PHỤC BẠCH PHẬT NGÔN:
"THẾ TÔN! NHƯỢC CHƯ NHÂN THIÊN TỤNG TRÌ ÐẠI BI TÂM CHÚ GIẢ, ÐẮC THẬP NGŨ
CHỦNG THIỆN SANH, BẤT THỌ THẬP NGŨ CHỦNG ÁC TỬ DÃ. KỲ ÁC TỬ GIẢ:
NHẤT GIẢ, BẤT LINH KỲ CƠ NGẠ KHỐN KHỔ TỬ;
NHỊ GIẢ, BẤT VI GIÀ CẤM TRƯỢNG SỞ TỬ;
TAM GIẢ, BẤT VI OÁN GIA THÙ ÐỐI TỬ;
TỨ GIẢ, BẤT VI QUÂN TRẬN TƯƠNG SÁT TỬ;
NGŨ GIẢ, BẤT VI HỔ LANG ÁC THÚ TÀN HẠI TỬ;
LỤC GIẢ, BẤT VI ÐỘC XÀ NGOAN YẾT SỞ TRÚNG TỬ;
THẤT GIẢ, BẤT VI THUỶ HỎA PHẦN PHIÊU TỬ;
BÁT GIẢ, BẤT VI ÐỘC DƯỢC SỞ TRÚNG TỬ;
CỬU GIẢ, BẤT VI CỔ ÐỘC HẠI TỬ;
THẬP GIẢ, BẤT VI CUỒNG LOẠN THẤT NIỆM TỬ;
THẬP NHẤT GIẢ, BẤT VI SƠN THỌ NHAI NGẠN ÐỌA LẠC TỬ;
THẬP NHỊ GIẢ, BẤT VI ÁC NHÂN YẾM MỴ TỬ;
THẬP TAM GIẢ, BẤT VI TÀ THẦN ÁC QUỶ ÐẮC TIỆN TỬ;
THẬP TỨ GIẢ, BẤT VI ÁC BỆNH TRIỀN THÂN TỬ;
THẬP NGŨ GIẢ, BẤT VI PHI PHẬN TỰ HẠI TỬ.
SUTRA:
HE ADDRESSED THE BUDDHA FURTHER, SAYING, "WORLD HONORED
ONE, PEOPLE AND GODS WHO RECITE AND HOLD THE GREAT COMPASSION HEART MANTRA WILL
OBTAIN FIFTEEN KINDS OF GOOD BIRTH AND WILL NOT SUFFER FIFTEEN KINDS OF BAD
DEATH. THE BAD DEATHS ARE:
1) THEY WILL NOT DIE OF STARVATION OR PRIVATION.
2) THEY WILL NOT DIE FROM HAVING BEEN YOKED, IMPRISONED, CANED
OR OTHERWISE BEATEN.
3) THEY WILL NOT DIE AT THE HANDS OF HOSTILE ENEMIES.
4) THEY WILL NOT BE KILLED IN MILITARY BATTLE.
5) THEY WILL NOT BE KILLED BY TIGERS, WOLVES, OR OTHER EVIL
BEASTS.
6) THEY WILL NOT DIE FROM THE VENOM OF POISONOUS SNAKES, BLACK
SERPENTS, OR SCORPIONS.
7) THEY WILL NOT DROWN OR BE BURNED TO DEATH.
8) THEY WILL NOT BE POISONED TO DEATH.
9) THEY WILL NOT DIE AS A RESULT OF SORCERY.
10) THEY WILL NOT DIE OF MADNESS OR INSANITY.
11) THEY WILL NOT BE KILLED BY LANDSLIDES OR FALLING TREES.
12) THEY WILL NOT DIE OF NIGHTMARES SENT BY EVIL PEOPLE.
13) THEY WILL NOT BE KILLED BY DEVIANT SPIRITS OR EVIL GHOSTS.
14) THEY WILL NOT DIE OF EVIL ILLNESSES WHICH BIND THE BODY.
15) THEY WILL NOT COMMIT SUICIDE.
Commentary:
BAD DEATHS are unlucky, accidental deaths. Those who recite
the Great Compassion Mantra will not die of STARVATION, hardship, or
unhappiness. In China, criminals were often locked in a heavy wooden collar and
put out in public for everyone to see. Sometimes they were beaten with a CANE
until their legs were broken.
One who recites the mantra won't be killed by ENEMIES, those
with whom one has no affinity. Everyone has enemies. Two people hate each other
and harbor a grudge; nothing they do goes right because they just can't get
along.
You may tell soldiers to recite the mantra, and they won't die
in BATTLE. Of course, you can't use the mantra in order to make war. If you use
it that way, you won't lose, but you won't win, either, because the
Bodhisattvas don't like for people to make war.
The seventh kind of bad death is by DROWNING or BURNING. Those
who recite the Great Compassion Mantra can enter the fire and not be burned,
can enter the water and not drown.
The Guest Ghost
Once there was an old cultivator who practiced “going out the
mysterious and entering the feminine." 7 He could cause a small child to go out the top of his head by
transformation, and then cause it to return and reenter his head in the same
spot. One day in his travels he stopped for the night at the temple of an old
master and his young novice. That night the old cultivator sat in meditation,
and as usual, "went out the mysterious" to play. He went to Japan,
Germany, Australia, and even to America, and although he didn't understand the
language of the people, he saw everything very clearly. "The Golden Gate
Bridge isn't bad!" he thought, and he played on the span until dawn.
7 A quote from Lao Tzu's Tao
Te Ching, "The Classic of the Way and Virtue," Part VI, "The
valley spirit does not die; it is called the mysterious female. The gate of the
mysterious female is the root of heaven and earth."
That morning, when the novice went to call him for breakfast,
he found the cultivator sitting upright-- dead! When the old cultivator “went
out,” his breath and heart would stop, and consequently he appeared dead. The
novice ran to his master and said, "Master, Master! The old cultivator is
dead!" The Master rolled his eyes and said, "Very well, we'll have to
cremate him." And they did.
So when the cultivator returned from his airplane free travel,
he couldn't find his "house." That evening he showed up again, and he
made a lot of noise. "Give me back my house," he demanded.
Although the old master and the novice cultivated the Way,
they hadn't opened their five eyes and hadn't attained the six spiritual
penetrations; so they couldn't see that it was the old cultivator who had
returned. They thought it was the ghost of their guest. The next night he came
again, and soon he was haunting them day and night asking for his house. The
old master and the novice were terrified and wanted to move out. They were
packed and ready to go when another old monk came by, seeking shelter. The
novice refused him. "We don't accept guests anymore," he said.
"It's too much of a bother."
"Oh?" said the monk. "What do you mean?"
The young novice told him what had happened with the previous
guest. The monk said, "You've run into a ghost, have you? That's no
problem at all. I can handle ghosts."
The old master was skeptical. "That monk is a fraud. He
just wants us to let him spend the night. We'll see if he can really manage
ghosts."
That night the monk questioned his host. "Which room did
your guest die in?"
"He spent the night in the west corridor and the next morning
he was dead," replied the old master. "Now every night at sunset he
comes looking for his house. What are we going to do?"
"It's very simple," said the monk. "Just bring
me a brazier of fire and a bucket of water."
Later that night, when the old cultivator returned and asked
for his house, the monk said, "It's in that bucket of water," and the
cultivator jumped into the water."
"There's no house in here," he called out finally, after
swimming around for awhile.
"There isn't" said the monk. "Then it must be over
there in that fire-brazier."
The cultivator Jumped into the fire. "It isn’t here
either," he said, disappointed.
Of course his house was just his body. "Super One, the
monk said, "do you realize that you Jumped into the water but did not
drown, and entered the flames and were not burned? What could you possibly want
with your house?"
"Ah!" said the cultivator. Enlightened at, those few
sentences, he made no more trouble for the old master and the novice, and they
didn't have to move at all.
These are the hazards of "going out the mystery and
entering the feminine." Although you can go wherever you wish, if your
body falls into the hands of someone who doesn't understand, you may get
burned, and then you won't be able to find your house when you return.
The eighth kind of bad death is to die of POISON. One who
recites the Great Compassion Mantra will not suffer death by poisoning. The
Great Master Bodhidharma, the Twenty-eighth Patriarch in India and the First
Patriarch in China, was poisoned by jealous rivals. When they tried to kill him
with snake venom he vomited, and the vomit turned into snakes. This is because
he recited the Great Compassion Mantra. After the sixth attempt to poison him,
he thought, "What a lot of trouble. Everyone has bad thoughts about me,
and he pretended to die from the poison. But he actually didn't die.
THEY WILL NOT DIE FROM SORCERY. In Southeast As: in Malaysia,
Viet Nam, Thailand, and so forth, people brew fierce poisons. They have, for
example, a tiny pill which swells up enormously after one eats it so that one
literally "swells to death." There are many kinds of poisons, but
they can't harm you if you recited the Great Compassion Mantra.
Those who recite the mantra will not be killed by LANDSLIDES,
FALLING TREES, or collapsing walls, and they will not die of NIGHTMARES sent by
evil people. To kill by sending nightmares means to use deviant mantra such as
the one Matangi used to snare Ananda. Devian mantras can muddle your brain to
such an extent that you lose consciousness.
THEY WILL NOT DIE OF EVIL ILLNESSES...Paralysis, fevers,
cancer...
In Hong Kong the well-known Dharma Master Ting Hsi got cancer
and died within a year. He taught others to cultivate, but he didn't cultivate
with such great care and so he got cancer. He liked fame to the point that he
advertised all over Hong Kong that I was his disciple. At that time I was in
Northeast China several thousand miles away, and had never even met him.
When I did reach Hong Kong. Ting Hsi figured that if people
believed in me, they would believe even more in my “teacher,” and so he began
telling everyone that I was his disciple.
At that time a wealthy layman named Chang got cancer, and six
of the world's most famous doctors said that he would certainly be dead within
a hundred days. On the eighteenth day of the fifth lunar month, he took refuge
with me and at that time he personally saw the Bodhisattva Who Regards the
World's Sounds pour sweet dew over his head. I said, "If you do as I say,
I guarantee that you will not die in a hundred days, or after a hundred days
either, so long as you follow my instructions. Three or four thousand left-home
people have just come from the mainland to Hong Kong and you should give each
one of them $20.00 and a bolt of good cloth. Chang agreed and also said that if
he did not die he would give me $200,000.00 in American money. But instead of
following the instructions, he gave the refugees less money each than I had
specified, and he gave them inferior cloth. And he didn't give menthe money he
had said he would.
Ting Hsi thereupon undertook to conduct a Medicine Master
Repentance for layman Chang, and after a hundred days, when Chang didn't die.
Ting Hsi claimed the merit for himself, and Chang gave him a lot of money. I
never said a word, never asked for even a dollar. I waited for eight years for
Chang to keep his vow, and then, on New Year's Day, I said to a gathering of
over one hundred people, "If Chang Yu-kai asks me for anything this year,
he can kneel outside my door for three years and I won't pay the slightest bit
of attention to him, because I have waited for eight years and he still has not
fulfilled his vow."
Shortly after that, Chang got sick again. He sent relatives to
see me, but I wouldn't even open the door to them. This was unheard of in Hong
Kong, and I received a lot of criticism. They said I didn't understand the
Buddhadharma. They wondered how I could ignore a rich layman like Chang.
Finally, Chang sent a servant to me with $200.00. I tossed it out the window
onto the street.
When they heard of this incident, the other Dharma Masters
were furious. Ting Hsi said, "He's left home but he doesn't accept
offerings. Totally unprincipled Totally inhuman!"
Chang died of cancer within three months. Ting Hsi got cancer
and there was no way to cure. All the Dharma Masters in Hong Kong bowed repent
and recited the Buddha's name, but none of it was efficacious. It was all
useless. Within a year false teacher died. This is to "die of evil illness.
Finally, those who recite the Great Compassion Mantra' will
not COMMIT SUICIDE; they will not decide they don't want to live anymore and
then take poison hang themselves or jump off a building or a bridge.
KINH
VĂN:
TỤNG TRÌ ÐẠI BI THẦN CHÚ GIẢ, BẤT BỊ NHƯ THỊ THẬP NGŨ CHỦNG ÁC TỬ
DÃ, ÐẮC THẬP NGŨ CHỦNG THIỆN SANH GIẢ:
NHẤT GIẢ, SỞ SANH CHI XỨ, THƯỜNG PHÙNG THIỆN VƯƠNG;
NHỊ GIẢ, THƯỜNG SANH THIỆN QUỐC;
TAM GIẢ, THƯỜNG TRỊ HẢO THỜI;
TỨ GIẢ, THƯỜNG PHÙNG THIỆN HỮU;
NGŨ GIẢ, THÂN CĂN THƯỜNG ÐẮC CỤ TÚC;
LỤC GIẢ, ÐẠO TÂM THUẦN THỤC;
THẤT GIẢ, BẤT PHẠM CẤM GIỚI;
BÁT GIẢ, SỞ HỮU QUYẾN THUỘC, ÂN NGHĨA HÒA THUẬN;
CỬU GIẢ, TƯ CỤ TÀI THỰC, THƯỜNG ÐẮC PHONG TÚC;
THẬP GIẢ, HẰNG ÐẮC THA NHÂN CUNG KÍNH PHÙ TIẾP;
THẬP NHẤT GIẢ, SỞ HỮU TÀI BẢO, VÔ THA KIẾP ÐOẠT;
THẬP NHỊ GIẢ, Ý DỤC SỞ CẦU, GIAI TẤT XƯNG TOẠI;
THẬP TAM GIẢ, LONG THIÊN THIỆN THẦN HẰNG THƯỜNG ỦNG VỆ;
THẬP TỨ GIẢ, SỞ SANH CHI XỨ, KIẾN PHẬT VĂN PHÁP;
THẬP NGŨ GIẢ, SỞ VĂN CHÁNH PHÁP, NGỘ THẬM THÂM NGHĨA.
SUTRA:
THOSE WHO RECITE AND HOLD THE SPIRITUAL MANTRA OF GREAT
COMPASSION WILL NOT SUFFER ANY OF THESE FIFTEEN KINDS OF BAD DEATH AND WILL
OBTAIN THE FOLLOWING FIFTEEN KINDS OF GOOD BIRTH:
1) THEIR PLACE OF BIRTH WILL ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD KING.
2) THEY WILL ALWAYS BE BORN IN A GOOD COUNTRY.
3) THEY WILL ALWAYS BE BORN AT A GOOD TIME.
4) THEY WILL ALWAYS MEET GOOD FRIENDS.
5) THE ORGANS OF THEIR BODY WILL ALWAYS BE COMPLETE.
6) THEIR HEART WILL BE PURE AND FULL IN THE WAY.
7) THEY WILL NOT VIOLATE THE PROHIBITIVE PRECEPTS.
8) THEIR FAMILY WILL BE KIND AND HARMONIOUS.
9) THEY WILL ALWAYS HAVE THE NECESSARY WEALTH AND GOODS IN
ABUNDANCE.
10) THEY WILL ALWAYS OBTAIN THE RESPECT AND HELP OF OTHERS.
11) THEIR RICHES WILL NOT BE PLUNDERED.
12) THEY WILL OBTAIN EVERYTHING THEY SEEK.
13) DRAGONS, GODS, AND GOOD SPIRITS WILL ALWAYS PROTECT THEM.
14) IN THE PLACE WHERE THEY ARE BORN, THEY WILL SEE THE BUDDHA
AND HEAR THE DHARMA.
15) THEY WILL AWAKEN TO THE PROFOUND MEANING OF THAT PROPER
DHARMA WHICH THEY HEAR.
Commentary:
A GOOD KING cultivates the five precepts and the ten good
acts. A GOOD COUNTRY is not plagued by wars, invasions, fires, floods, or
pestilence; its citizens are mild and not torn by strife. A GOOD TIME is a time
of peace. GOOD FRIENDS teach you the Buddhadharma and show you how to
cultivate.
If you recite the Great Compassion Mantra, the six ORGANS of
your body will always be complete: your eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and
mind will all be perfect and beautiful. A HEART that is pure and full in the
Way is solid and determined to realize maturity.
A FAMILY which is KIND AND HARMONIOUS means that you are good
to your relatives and they are good to you, and that you aren't selfish.
DRAGONS, GODS and the entire eight-fold division of supernatural beings will always
surround and guard you.
Although the Buddha has gone to Nirvana, we still see statues
and pictures of him and this is to SEE THE BUDDHA. We also get to HEAR THE
DHARMA.
KINH VĂN:
"NHƯỢC HỮU TỤNG TRÌ ÐẠI BI TÂM ÐÀ-LA-NI GIẢ, ÐẮC NHƯ THỊ ÐẲNG THẬP
NGŨ CHỦNG THIỆN SANH DÃ, NHẤT THIẾT THIÊN NHÂN, ƯNG THƯỜNG TỤNG TRÌ, VẬT SANH
GIẢI ÐÃI."
SUTRA:
“THOSE WHO RECITE AND HOLD THE GREAT COMPASSION
HEART DHARANI WILL OBTAIN THESE FIFTEEN KINDS OF GOOD BIRTH. ALL GODS AND
PEOPLE SHOULD CONSTANTLY RECITE AND HOLD IT, WITHOUT CARELESSNESS.”
Commentary:
Whatever you
do, don't be lazy. Don't be greedy for sleep or food. Look on the Great
Compassion Mantra as you would sleep or food. "Ah. I haven't recited the
mantra. I'm starving! If I don't recite, it's as if I haven't slept
enough." Take the mantra as your food and sleep and don't be CARELESS.
Change the mind which likes to sleep and eat into one which likes to recite the
mantra. Isn't this wonderful?
KINH VĂN:
QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT THUYẾT THỊ NGỮ DĨ, Ư CHÚNG HỘI TIỀN, HỢP CHƯỞNG
CHÁNH TRỤ, Ư CHƯ CHÚNG SANH, KHỞI ĐẠI BI TÂM, KHAI NHAN HÀM TIẾU, TỨC THUYẾT
NHƯ THỊ QUẢNG ĐẠI VIÊN MÃN VÔ NGẠI ĐẠI BI TÂM ĐÀ-LA-NI THẦN DIỆU CHƯƠNG CÚ.
ĐÀ-LA-NI VIẾT:
NAM MÔ HẮC RA ĐÁT NA ĐA RA DẠ DA. NAM MÔ A RỊ DA. BÀ LÔ KIẾT ĐẾ,
THƯỚC BÁT RA DA. BỒ ĐỀ TÁT ĐỎA BÀ DA. MA HA TÁT ĐỎA BÀ DA. MA HA CA LÔ NI CA
DA. ÁN. TÁT BÀN RA PHẠT DUỆ. SÓC ĐÁT NA ĐÁT TẢ. NAM MÔ TẤT KIẾT LẬT ĐỎA Y MÔNG
A RỊ DA. BÀ LÔ KIẾT ĐẾ THẤT PHẬT RA LĂNG ĐÀ BÀ. NAM MÔ NA RA CẨN TRÌ. HÊ RỊ MA
HA BÀN ĐA SA MẾ. TÁT BÀ A THA ĐẬU DU BẰNG. A THỆ DỰNG. TÁT BÀ TÁT ĐÁ, NA MA BÀ
TÁT ĐA, NA MA BÀ GIÀ. MA PHẠT ĐẶC ĐẬU. ĐÁT ĐIỆT THA. ÁN, A BÀ LÔ HÊ. LÔ CA ĐẾ.
CA RA ĐẾ. DI HÊ RỊ. MA HA BỒ ĐỀ TÁT ĐỎA. TÁT BÀ TÁT BÀ. MA RA MA RA. MA HÊ MA
HÊ, RỊ ĐÀ DỰNG. CU LÔ CU LÔ YẾT MÔNG. ĐỘ LÔ ĐỘ LÔ, PHẠT GIÀ RA ĐẾ. MA HA PHẠT
GIÀ DA ĐẾ. ĐÀ LA ĐÀ LA. ĐỊA LỴ NI. THẤT PHẬT RA DA. GIÁ RA GIÁ RA. MA MA PHẠT
MA RA. MỤC ĐẾ LỆ. Y HÊ DI HÊ. THẤT NA THẤT NA. A RA SAM PHẬT RA XÁ LỢI. PHẠT SA
PHẠT SAM. PHẬT RA XÁ DA. HÔ LÔ HÔ LÔ MA RA. HÔ LÔ HÔ LÔ HÊ RỊ. TA RA TA RA. TẤT
LỴ TẤT LỴ. TÔ RÔ TÔ RÔ. BỒ ĐỀ DẠ, BỒ ĐỀ DẠ. BỒ ĐÀ DẠ, BỒ ĐÀ DẠ. DI ĐẾ RỊ DẠ. NA
RA CẨN TRÌ. ĐỊA LỴ SẮT NI NA. BA DẠ MA NA. TA BÀ HA. TẤT ĐÀ DẠ. TA BÀ HA. MA HA
TẤT ĐÀ DẠ. TA BÀ HA. TẤT ĐÀ DU NGHỆ. THẤT BÀN RA DẠ. TA BÀ HA. NA RA CẨN TRÌ.
TA BÀ HA. MA RA NA RA. TA BÀ HA. TẤT LỖ TĂNG A MỤC KHƯ DA. TA BÀ HA. TA BÀ MA
HA A TẤT ĐÀ DẠ. TA BÀ HA. GIẢ CÁT RA A TẤT ĐÀ DẠ. TA BÀ HA. BA ĐÀ MA YẾT TẤT ĐÀ
DẠ. TA BÀ HA. NA RA CẨN TRÌ, BÀN GIÀ RA DA. TA BÀ HA. MA BÀ LỢI THẮNG, YẾT RA
DA. TA BÀ HA. NAM MÔ HẮC RA ĐÁT NA ĐA RA DẠ DA. NAM MÔ A LỊ DA. BÀ LÔ KIẾT ĐẾ.
THƯỚC BÀN RA DẠ. TA BÀ HA. ÁN, TẤT ĐIỆN ĐÔ. MẠN ĐÀ RA. BẠT ĐÀ DA. TA BÀ HA.
QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT THUYẾT THỬ CHÚ DĨ, ĐẠI ĐỊA LỤC BIẾN CHẤN ĐỘNG,
THIÊN VŨ BẢO HOA, TÂN PHÂN NHI HẠ. THẬP PHƯƠNG CHƯ PHẬT, TẤT GIAI HOAN HỶ.
THIÊN MA NGOẠI ĐẠO, KHỦNG BỐ MAO THỤ. NHẤT THIẾT CHÚNG HỘI, GIAI HOẠCH QUẢ CHỨNG:
HOẶC ĐẮC TU-ĐÀ-HOÀN QUẢ, HOẶC ĐẮC TƯ-ĐÀ-HÀM QUẢ, HOẶC ĐẮC A-NA-HÀM QUẢ, HOẶC ĐẮC
A-LA-HÁN QUẢ, HOẶC ĐẮC NHẤT ĐỊA, NHỊ ĐỊA, TAM ĐỊA, TỨ ĐỊA, NGŨ ĐỊA, NÃI CHÍ THẬP
ĐỊA GIẢ. VÔ LƯỢNG CHÚNG SANH PHÁT BỒ-ĐỀ TÂM.
SUTRA:
AFTER SPEAKING
THESE WORDS BEFORE THE ASSEMBLY, THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD’S SOUNDS
PUT HIS PALMS TOGETHER, STOOD UPRIGHT, AND BROUGHT FORTH A HEART OF GREAT
COMPASSION FOR ALL BEINGS. HE BEAMED, SMILED AND THUS SPOKE THE SPIRITUALLY
WONDERFUL PHRASES OF THE DHARANI OF GREAT COMPASSION, PERFECT, UNIMPEDED, VAST,
AND GREAT. THE DHARANI RUNS LIKE THIS:
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WHEN THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD’S SOUNDS HAD FINISHED SPEAKING THIS MANTRA, THE GREAT EARTH TREMBLED AND MOVED IN SIX WAYS. THE HEAVENS RAINED FORTH JEWELLED FLOWERS, WHICH FELL IN COLORFUL PROFUSION. ALL THE BUDDHAS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS WERE DELIGHTED, WHILE THE HEAVENLY DEMONS AND EXTERNALISTS WERE SO AFRAID THEIR HAIR STOOD ON END. EVERYONE IN THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY CERTIFIED TO THE RESULT. SOME WON THE RESULT OF A STREAM-WINNER, SOME WON THE RESULT OF A ONCE-RETURNER, SOME WON THE RESULT OF A NEVER-RETURNER, SOME WON THE RESULT OF AN ARHAT. OTHERS ATTAINED TO THE FIRST GROUND OF A BODHISATTVA, THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH AND FIFTH GROUND, EVEN UP TO THE TENTH BODHISATTVA GROUND. COUNTLESS LIVING BEINGS BROUGHT FORTH THE BODHI HEART.
Commentary:
Since the Sutra text is now being explained, we will explain
the mantra itself later. The first sentence of the mantra, however, can now be
briefly explained:
NA MWO HE LA DA NWO DWO LA YE YE.
"Na mo" means "take refuge." The entire
sentence means "I take refuge with the limitless, limitless Triple Jewel
which extends to the ends of empty space and the Dharma Realm, to the limits of
the three period of time. When you recite this sentence, the Bodhisattva Who Regards
the World's Sounds grants your wish.
The last sentence of the mantra, NAN SYI DYAN DU. MAN DWO LA.
BA TWO YE. SWO PE HE, means "your heart desires will quickly be fulfilled
"--not only fulfilled but quickly fulfilled.
When the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds HAD
FINISHED speaking the Great Compassion Mantra, the GREAT EARTH, which is where
we live, TREMBLED AND MOVED IN SIX WAYS, the six ways mentioned above. Earthquakes
occur for various reasons. Good earthquakes may happen when someone realizes
Buddhahood or when someone attains Arhatship, or when a Buddha or Bodhisattva
expounds a Mahayana Sutra.
Evil earthquakes may occur when the demon king tests his power
or when the heavy evil karma of living beings calls down such disasters as
fire, flood, and earthquakes. Then, too, heaven-and earth may send such natural
disasters. So, there are good and bad earthquakes. The good ones don't harm
people, but the evil ones do.
Although these disasters are a
response evoked by the evil karma of living beings, they can be prevented if a
sage--a Buddha, Bodhisattva, or perhaps an Arhat appears in the world. If such
a person is present in a location destined for disaster, those disasters can be
moved to another place. Great disasters will become minor ones and minor ones
will vanish. There are no fixed dharmas in this world. That is the general meaning
of "trembled," but if it were to be spoken of in detail, the many
complicated relationships and reasons for earthquakes would have to be
discussed.
Hearing the mantra, the entire
assembly CERTIFIED TO THE RESULT. Some won the result of a STREAM-WINNER the “position
of seeing the Way.” 8 Some won the result of a ONCE-RETURNER and
some the result of a NEVER- RETURNER, the second and third stages of Arhatship
which are known also as the "positions of cultivating the Way.” Others
certified to the fourth stage, that of Arhatship, called "the position of
no-study." Others ascended to the various grounds of Bodhisattvahood, from
the FIRST GROUND right up to the TENTH BODHISATTVA GROUND. Many, many beings
BROUGHT FORTH THE BODHI HEART, and became determined to realize enlightenment.
8 See The Vajra Prajna Paramita Sutra, BTTS,
San Francisco, 1974, pp. 59-69.
KINH VĂN:
NHĨ THỜI, ĐẠI PHẠM THIÊN VƯƠNG TÙNG TÒA NHI KHỞI, CHỈNH LÝ Y PHỤC,
HỢP CHƯỞNG CUNG KÍNH, BẠCH QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT NGÔN: “THIỆN TAI, ĐẠI SĨ! NGÃ
TÙNG TÍCH LAI, KINH VÔ LƯỢNG PHẬT HỘI, VĂN CHỦNG CHỦNG PHÁP, CHỦNG CHỦNG
ĐÀ-LA-NI, VỊ TẰNG VĂN THUYẾT NHƯ THỬ VÔ NGẠI ĐẠI BI TÂM ĐẠI BI ĐÀ-LA-NI THẦN DIỆU
CHƯƠNG CÚ. DUY NGUYỆN ĐẠI SĨ, VI NGÃ THUYẾT THỬ ĐÀ-LA-NI HÌNH MẠO TRẠNG TƯỚNG,
NGÃ ĐẲNG ĐẠI CHÚNG, NGUYỆN NHẠO DỤC VĂN.
SUTRA:
AT THAT TIME THE
GREAT BRAHMA HEAVEN KING AROSE FROM HIS SEAT, ARRANGED HIS ROBES, REVERENTLY
JOINED HIS PALMS, AND SPOKE TO THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD’S
SOUNDS, SAYING, “GOOD INDEED, MAHASATTVA. I HAVE, IN THE PAST, ATTENDED
COUNTLESS BUDDHA-ASSEMBLIES AND HEARD VARIOUS DHARMAS AND DHARANIS, BUT I HAVE
NEVER BEFORE HEARD ONE LIKE THIS UNIMPEDED GREAT COMPASSION DHARANI WITH ITS
SPIRITUALLY WONDERFUL PHRASES. I PRAY THAT THE MAHASATTVA WILL SPEAK TO US
ABOUT THE STYLE AND APPEARANCE OF THIS DHARANI. THE GREAT ASSEMBLY AND I
JOYFULLY WISH TO HEAR.
Commentary
Just then, the Great Brahma Heaven Ring arose and respectfully
addressed the Bodhisattva. He said, Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds,
you are very best of Great Bodhisattvas. I have attended uncountable number of
Dharma assemblies, but I’ve never heard a Dharani which compares with this one.
Please tell us about its style and appearance; we all wish know of it.
KINH VĂN:
QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT CÁO PHẠM VƯƠNG NGÔN: “NHỮ VI PHƯƠNG TIỆN
LỢI ÍCH NHẤT THIẾT CHÚNG SANH CỐ, TÁC NHƯ THỊ VẤN, NHỮ KIM THIỆN THÍNH, NGÔ VI
NHỮ ĐẲNG, LƯỢC THUYẾT THIỂU NHĨ.
QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT NGÔN: “ĐẠI TỪ BI TÂM THỊ, BÌNH ĐẲNG TÂM
THỊ, VÔ VI TÂM THỊ, VÔ NHIỄM TRƯỚC TÂM THỊ, KHÔNG QUÁN TÂM THỊ, CUNG KÍNH TÂM
THỊ, TỲ HẠ TÂM THỊ, VÔ TẠP LOẠN TÂM THỊ, VÔ KIẾN THỦ TÂM THỊ, VÔ THƯỢNG BỒ-ĐỀ
TÂM THỊ. ĐƯƠNG TRI NHƯ THỊ ĐẲNG TÂM, TỨC THỊ ĐÀ-LA-NI TƯỚNG MẠO, NHỮ ĐƯƠNG Y THỬ
NHI TU HÀNH CHI!”
SUTRA:
THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD’S SOUNDS TOLD BRAHMA KING, “BECAUSE
YOU ASK FOR THE PURPOSE OF EFFICACIOUSLY BENEFITING ALL LIVING BEINGS, I WILL
NOW SPEAK OF IT IN GENERAL. LISTEN ATTENTIVELY AND WELL.”
THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD’S SOUNDS SAID, “IT IS THE GREAT COMPASSION HEART. IT
IS THE EQUALITY HEART.
IT IS THE UNCONDITIONED HEART.
IT IS THE UNDEFILED AND UNATTACHED HEART.
IT IS THE CONTEMPLATION OF
EMPTINESS HEART. IT IS THE
RESPECTFUL HEART. IT IS THE HUMBLE HEART. IT IS THE UNCONFUSED HEART. IT IS THE NO-VIEW AND NO GRASPING HEART. IT IS THE UNSURPASSED BODHI HEART. YOU
SHOULD KNOW THAT THE STYLE AND APPEARANCE OF THE DHARANI ARE JUST SUCH HEARTS
AS THESE. CULTIVATE ACCORDING TO THEM.”
Commentary:
"Because you wish to benefit living beings, you have requested this
dharma," said the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds. "Listen
carefully and will tell you a little bit about it. What is the Great Compassion
Heart? It is just these hearts:
“THE GREAT COMPASSION HEART. With kindness, make living beings happy and
with sympathy relieve them of their suffering. Such compassion is the Dharani
its. The Great Compassion Heart is the Great Compassion Mantra and the Great Compassion Mantra
is the Great Compassion Heart. If you have a heart of great compassion, you're
reciting the Great Compassion Mantra. If you don't, you're not. Without a
greatly compassionate heart, you may say "NA MWO HE LA DA NWO DWO LA YE YE
," from morning to night, but you won't be reciting the mantra. On the
other hand, if you don't recite, but are always compassionate, then you are
reciting the mantra. Is this clear? In order truly to recite the mantra, you
must have a compassionate heart.
THE EQUALITY HEART is one of impartiality, without discrimination, bias or
prejudice. You cannot recite the mantra with selfish thoughts such as,
"He's my brother so I'll be more friendly with him. That person is my
close friend. This person I don't know at all; I'll stay away from him."
This is inequality. Equality means that you are the same towards everyone,
brothers, friends, and strangers alike. If you are fond of your brother, you
think of all people as your brother. If you are filial to your parents, you
respect all elders as you would your own parents. In general, it is the heart
which has no clannishness or prejudice. It is the Great Compassion Mantra.
THE UNCONDITIONED HEART does not involve itself in the conditions of
deviant action or deviant thought. It does no evil. If you recite the mantra,
but do bad things, that's not the unconditioned heart, and you're not truly
reciting the Great Compassion Mantra.
THE UNDEFILED AND UNATTACHED HEART is sparkling clear and pure with no trace
of scattered false thoughts, confused or deviant thoughts. It is without
desire; more specifically, it is without sexual desire. Reciters of the Great
Compassion Mantra should pay particular attention to this point. The heart
without sexual desire is the undefiled and unattached heart, the heart which
recites the Great Compassion Mantra.
THE CONTEMPLATION OF EMPTINESS HEART. If you contemplate
the emptiness of all dharmas you will have no attachment. Regard all dharmas as
empty. THE RESPECTFUL HEART. Respect everyone; see all beings as the Buddha.
THE HUMBLE HEART is modest towards everyone, never arrogant or self-satisfied.
THE UNCONFUSED HEART doesn't act rashly and is not muddled. THE NO-VIEW AND
NO-GRASIING HEART. When you have views about something, the delusion of having
views arises, and then there is grasping. THE UNSURPASSED BODHI HEART. If you
bring forth the supreme Heart of the way, that is the Great Compassion Mantra.
If you don't, you're not reciting it.
These ten hearts are the STYLE AND APPEARANCE of the
Great Compassion Mantra and you should cultivate according to them in reciting
it.
KINH VĂN:
ĐẠI PHẠM VƯƠNG NGÔN: “NGÃ ĐẲNG ĐẠI CHÚNG, KIM THỦY THỨC THỬ
ĐÀ-LA-NI TƯỚNG MẠO, TÙNG KIM THỌ TRÌ, BẤT CẢM VONG THẤT.”
SUTRA:
THE GREAT BRAHMA KING SAID, “THE GREAT ASSEMBLY AND I NOW RECOGNIZE THE
APPEARANCE OF THIS DHARANI AND FROM NOW ONWARDS WILL RECEIVE AND HOLD IT, NEVER
DARING TO FORGET IT.”
Commentary:
"Thanks to your explanation, Great Bodhisattva said the Brahma King,
"we now know what the Dharani, the Dharma-door of uniting and holding,
looks like vow that from this very day onwards we will recite and hold the
Great Compassionate Heart Dharani Mantra without ever forgetting it."
Why? This is Supreme, profound, subtle Dharma, Hard to meet in a billion
aeons. We now see, hear, accept, and hold it, and vow to understand the Thus
Come One's genuine principle.
They all vowed to understand the Dharma's wonder meaning, and the Great
Brahma King, the greatly Talen powerful, and independent one, swore he wouldn't
forget it. You should be careful not to forget to recite the mantra. Don't
carelessly let it fall aside some eight four thousand miles away. If you do,
when you go to look for it again, I'm afraid it will be hard to find it.
KINH VĂN:
QUÁN THẾ ÂM NGÔN: “NHƯỢC THIỆN NAM TỬ, THIỆN NỮ NHÂN, TỤNG TRÌ THỬ
THẦN CHÚ GIẢ, PHÁT QUẢNG ĐẠI BỒ-ĐỀ TÂM THỆ ĐỘ NHẤT THIẾT CHÚNG SANH, THÂN TRÌ
TRAI GIỚI, Ư CHƯ CHÚNG SANH KHỞI BÌNH ĐẲNG TÂM, THƯỜNG TỤNG THỬ CHÚ MẠC LỆNH ĐOẠN
TUYỆT, TRÚ Ư TỊNH THẤT, THÁO DỤC THANH TỊNH, TRƯỚC TỊNH Y PHỤC, HUYỀN PHAN
NHIÊN ĐĂNG, HƯƠNG HOA BÁCH VỊ ẨM THỰC DĨ DỤNG CÚNG DƯỜNG, CHẾ TÂM NHẤT XỨ CÁNH
MẠC DỊ DUYÊN, NHƯ PHÁP TỤNG TRÌ, THỊ THỜI ĐƯƠNG HỮU NHẬT QUANG BỒ-TÁT, NGUYỆT
QUANG BỒ-TÁT, DỮ VÔ LƯỢNG THẦN TIÊN, LAI VI TÁC CHỨNG ÍCH KỲ HIỆU NGHIỆM.”
SUTRA:
THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD’S SOUNDS SAID, “IF A GOOD MAN OR GOOD
WOMAN RECITES AND HOLDS THIS SPIRITUAL MANTRA, THEY SHOULD BRING FORTH A GREAT
AND VAST BODHI HEART, VOWING TO TAKE ALL BEINGS ACROSS. THEY SHOULD PERSONALLY
OBSERVE THE PRECEPTS AND THE RULES OF PURE EATING, AND, WITH RESPECT TO ALL
BEINGS, THEY SHOULD GIVE RISE TO A HEART OF EQUALITY, RECITING THE MANTRA
CONSTANTLY, WITHOUT INTERRUPTION.
“HAVING BATHED AND PUT ON CLEAN CLOTHING, THEY SHOULD DWELL IN A CLEAN
ROOM. THERE THEY SHOULD HANG BANNERS, LIGHT LAMPS, AND MAKE OFFERINGS OF
INCENSE, FLOWERS, AND A HUNDRED FLAVORS OF FOOD AND DRINK. THEY SHOULD REGULATE
THEIR MINDS TO ONE POINT, WITH NO OTHER CONDITIONS, AND RECITE AND HOLD THE
MANTRA IN ACCORD WITH DHARMA. AT THAT TIME SUNLIGHT BODHISATTVA AND MOONLIGHT
BODHISATTVA, ALONG WITH NUMBERLESS SPIRITS AND IMMORTALS, WILL COME TO CERTIFY
AND TO INCREASE THE EFFICACY OF THE RECITATION.”
Commentary:
The Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds said, "One who recites
the Great Compassion Mantra must have a VAST AND GREAT BODHI HEART, not a small
heart, not a selfish, self-seeking heart, not a jealous or obstructive heart.
They should make a vow to take all beings from suffering to bliss. They must OBSERVE
THE FIVE PRECEPTS, that is: no killing, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no
false speech, and no intoxicants. The mantra must be recited CONSTANTLY,
WITHOUT INTERRUPTION. One can't recite it for a while and then slack off and
later pick it up again.
DWELL IN A CLEAN ROOM, where there are no defiled dharmas. After bathing,
put on clean clothes. Dharma clothing should be clean. Therefore, when you go
to the toilet, it is preferable that you remove your robe and sash and change
your shoes. Although American flush toilets are very sanitary, they are still
toilets, places for excrement. In China, when Dharma Master Yin Kuang Lived on
P’u T’o Mountain; he used to change all his clothes--shoes, socks, everything--when
he went to the toilet. He did this for eighteen years. Those who keep the
precepts do not violate even the fines. So don't forget to take off your robe
and sash and change your shoes when you go to the toilet.
Make offerings to the Triple Jewel--the Buddha Dharma, and the Sangha--of
INCENSE, FLOWERS, and kinds of FOOD AND DRINK. Then REGULATE your MINDS TO
POINT, WITH NO OTHER CONDITIONS. Don't meddle in other
predestined affairs or think random thoughts. Do
not indulge in false thinking or scheming.
To recite IN ACCORD WITH DHARMA means to cultivate your recitation of the
Great Compassion Manta in accord with the directions given above.
Do not mistakenly think that SUNLIGHT BODHISATTVA AND MOONLIGHT BODHISATTVA are the light of the sun moon itself. Rather they are the names of two most powerful Bodhisattvas who have made vows always to protect the Great Compassion Mantra and those who recite it by coming, ALONG WITH LIMITLESS SPIRITS AND IMMORTALS, WILL COME TO CERTIFY AND TO INCREASE THE EFFICACY OF THE RECITATION and ensure that those who recite it obtain a response.
KINH VĂN:
NGÃ THỜI ĐƯƠNG DĨ THIÊN NHÃN CHIẾU KIẾN THIÊN THỦ HỘ
TRÌ, TÙNG THỊ DĨ VÃNG SỞ HỮU THẾ GIAN KINH THƯ TẤT NĂNG THỌ TRÌ, NHẤT THIẾT NGOẠI
ĐẠO PHÁP THUẬT, PHỆ-ĐÀ ĐIỂN TỊCH, DIỆC NĂNG THÔNG ĐẠT. TỤNG TRÌ THỬ THẦN
CHÚ GIẢ, THẾ GIAN BÁT VẠN TỨ THIÊN CHỦNG BỆNH TẤT GIAI TRỊ CHI, VÔ BẤT SI GIẢ;
DIỆC NĂNG SỬ LỆNH NHẤT THIẾT QUỶ THẦN, HÀNG CHƯ THIÊN MA, CHẾ CHƯ NGOẠI ĐẠO.
SUTRA:
AT THAT TIME,
WITH A THOUSAND EYES, I WILL ILLUMINE THEM AND, WITH A THOUSAND HANDS, PROTECT
AND SUPPORT THEM. FROM THEN ON, THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MASTER ALL
WORLDLY LITERATURE AND SHALL FULLY COMPREHEND ALL EXTERNALIST DHARMA
DEVICES AS WELL AS THE VEDIC CLASSICS. ONE WHO RECITES AND HOLDS THE SPIRITUAL
MANTRA WILL BE CURED OF ALL OF THE WORLD’S EIGHTY-FOUR THOUSAND KINDS OF
ILLNESSES, WITHOUT EXCEPTION. THEY WILL ALSO BE ABLE TO COMMAND GHOSTS AND
SPIRITS, TO SUBDUE HEAVENLY DEMONS AND REGULATE EXTERNALISTS.
Commentary:
There is no disease which the Great Compassion Mantra cannot cure. No
matter what disease you have, even cancer, if you can recite the mantra
sincerely, you will be cured.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC TẠI SƠN DÃ, TỤNG KINH TỌA THIỀN, HỮU CHƯ SƠN TINH TẠP MỊ VỌNG
LƯỢNG QUỶ THẦN, HOẠNH TƯƠNG NÃO LOẠN, TÂM BẤT AN ĐỊNH GIẢ, TỤNG THỬ CHÚ NHẤT BIẾN,
THỊ CHƯ QUỶ THẦN TẤT GIAI BỊ PHƯỢC DÃ.
SUTRA:
“IF THEY ARE IN THE MOUNTAIN WILDS RECITING SUTRAS OR SITTING IN DHYANA
MEDITATION, AND VARIOUS MOUNTAIN ESSENCES, LI MEI AND WANG LIANG GHOSTS OR OTHER GHOSTS OR SPIRITS COME TO
ANNOY AND DISTURB THEM AND UPSET THEIR CONCENTRATION, THEY SHOULD RECITE THIS
MANTRA ONCE AND ALL THE GHOSTS AND SPIRITS WILL BE TIED UP.
Commentary:
You may be cultivating by yourself deep in the mountains when
suddenly, sitting in meditation, you start to have strange thoughts. "Why
recite Sutras? Why sit in meditation? My head hurts. My back aches. I've simply
got to get up!” That's the demons coming to annoy and disturb your
concentration.
“What are you sitting there like that for?" they will say.
"Don't cultivate. Come and play with us. What's the use of reciting
Sutras, sitting in meditation and following a lot of rules? Come on, join
us!" The demon kings cause you to think about the world. "Sexual
desire?” They’ll say, "Men and women? Sex? It's no problem at all.” Thus, they
destroy your heart of concentration, your heart of morality, and your heart of
wisdom.
In the cultivation of the Bodhisattva path, one passes through
Ten Faiths. But now the demons have caused you not to be "faithful."
Originally, you dwelt in the first of them, Faith, but now you
no longer believe. You'd like to possess Mindfulness, and to recite Sutras and
recollect the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha, but the demons convince you that
you'd get more out of taking a nap instead. Without mindfulness, you can't have
Vigor. "Hey, there's nothing certain about cultivation. It's not for sure
that I’ll become Buddha…”
Without vigor, there can be no Wisdom and consequently, no Concentration. The Faith of Non-retreat becomes the Faith "retreat." The Faith of Dharma-protecting goes, "Why should I make offerings to the Triple Jewel? Wouldn't they be better off making offerings to me? Then there is no Faith of Transference of Merit, no Faith of Morality, as you don't keep the precepts and rules. Lastly, there is no Faith of Vows. “I don't have to make vows." you say. "I can do what I want. I'm free. Why tie yourself up with vows? These Ten Faiths become ten non-Faiths, and it is all because the demon king has destroyed you. He has drilled into your heart and changed it.
When this sort of thing happens and your mind upset, it's
because the demon king has come to ruin you. RECITE THIS MANTRA ONCE AND ALL THE GHOSTS AND SPIRITS WILL
BE TIED UP. If you recite the Great Compassion Mantra just once, they
will all be caught
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC NĂNG NHƯ PHÁP TỤNG TRÌ, Ư CHƯ CHÚNG SANH, KHỞI TỪ BI TÂM
GIẢ, NGÃ THỜI ĐƯƠNG SẮC NHẤT THIẾT THIỆN THẦN, LONG VƯƠNG, KIM CANG MẬT TÍCH,
THƯỜNG TÙY VỆ HỘ, BẤT LY KỲ TRẮC, NHƯ HỘ NHÃN TINH, NHƯ HỘ KỶ MẠNG.
SUTRA:
IF THEY ARE ABLE TO RECITE AND HOLD THE MANTRA IN ACCORD WITH DHARMA,
AND TO BRING FORTH A COMPASSIONATE HEART TOWARDS ALL BEINGS, I WILL THEN
COMMAND ALL GOOD SPIRITS, DRAGON KINGS, AND THE VAJRA SECRET TRACES DHARMA
PROTECTORS TO ALWAYS PROTECT THEM, NEVER LEAVING THEIR SIDE, GUARDING THEM AS
THEIR OWN EYES, AS THEIR OWN LIFE.
Commentary:
IN ACCORD WITH DHARMA refers to the Dharma of Forty-two Hands.
Recite and hold the mantra in accord with the Dharma of the Forty-two Hands.
Don't simple recite the mantra over and over again. So you see must have a true
transmission in order to understand The
Dharani Sutra.
The Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds WILL THEN COMMAND ALL GOOD
SPIRITS, DRAGON KINGS, AND THE VAJRA SECRET TRACES DHARMA PROTECTORS TO ALWAYS
PROTECT THEM. So those who recite the Great Compassion Mantra and cultivate
the Forty-two Hands must take care not to have false thoughts of desire. When
the Dharma protectors see that a reciter's mind has wandered off into thoughts
of desire they think, "How can I take care of someone like him? He doesn't
follow the rules, the miserable wretch! I'm leaving!" and then they may
hit you with their vajra pestles and you'll get a headache, or a backache, or
otherwise feel uncomfortable.
So be careful. Don't recite on one hand and daydream on the
other. The Dharma-protecting Bodhisattvas know your every thought; they all
have the five eyes, and they have spiritual penetrations. They can, see through
your body just like glass. Don't think that they don't know what you're
thinking. If they didn't know, they wouldn't be called Buddhas, Bodhisattvas,
and Dharma protectors. You can't cheat them and sneak a false thought. False
thoughts are defiled thoughts, and the defiled heart is not the Great
Compassion Heart. But if you can recite according to Dharma, then they will
protect you as if they were guarding THEIR OWN EYES, THEIR OWN LIFE.
KINH VĂN:
THUYẾT KỆ SẮC VIẾT:
“NGÃ KHIỂN MẬT TÍCH KIM CANG SĨ,
Ô SÔ QUÂN TRÀ ƯƠNG CÂU THI,
BÁT BỘ LỰC SĨ THƯỞNG CA LA,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN MA HÊ NA LA DIÊN,
KIM TỲ LA ĐÀ CA TỲ LA,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN BÀ CẤP TA LÂU LA,
MÃN THIỆN XA BÁT CHÂN ĐÀ LA,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN TÁT GIÁ MA HÒA LA,
CƯU LAN ĐAN TRA BÁN CHỈ LA,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN TẤT BÀ GIÀ LA VƯƠNG,
ƯNG ĐỨC TỲ ĐA TÁT HÒA LA,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.”
“NGÃ KHIỂN PHẠM MA TAM BÁT LA,
NGŨ BỘ TỊNH CƯ DIÊM MA LA,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN THÍCH VƯƠNG TAM THẬP TAM,
ĐẠI BIỆN CÔNG ĐỨC BÀ ĐÁT NA,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN ĐỀ ĐẦU LẠI TRA VƯƠNG,
THẦN MẪU NỮ ĐẲNG ĐẠI LỰC CHÚNG,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
“NGÃ KHIỂN TỲ LÂU LẶC XOA VƯƠNG,
TỲ LÂU BÁC XOA TỲ SA MÔN.
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN KIM SẮC KHỔNG TƯỚC VƯƠNG,
NHỊ THẬP BÁT BỘ ĐẠI TIÊN CHÚNG,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN MA-NI BẠT ĐÀ LA,
TÁN CHI ĐẠI TƯỚNG PHẤT LA BÀ,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN NAN ĐÀ, BẠT NAN ĐÀ,
BÀ GIÀ LA LONG Y BÁT LA,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN TU LA, CÀN THÁT BÀ,
CA LÂU, KHẨN NA, MA HẦU LA,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.
NGÃ KHIỂN THỦY HỎA LÔI ĐIỆN THẦN,
CƯU BÀN TRÀ VƯƠNG, TỲ XÁ XÀ,
THƯỜNG ĐƯƠNG ỦNG HỘ THỌ TRÌ GIẢ.”
SUTRA:
HE THEN SPOKE THE FOLLOWING GATHA AS A COMMAND:
"I COMMAND THE SECRET TRACE VAJRA KNIGHTS UCCHUSHMA, KUNDALIN, ANGUSHA ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND THE POWER-KNIGHTS OF THE EIGHT DIVISIONS SHANKARA ALWAYS
TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND MAHESHVARA-NARAYANA, KUMBHIRA, KAPILA ALWAYS TO
PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND P'O CHI SO LOU LO, FULL WORTHY, CH'E PO, CHEN T'O LO
ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND SA CHE MO HO LO, "CHIU LAN, TAN CHA, PANCHIKA ALWAYS
TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND PI P'O, KALAKA KING, RESPONSIVE VIRTUE, P'I TO SA HO LO ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND BRAHMA-SAHAMPATI, THE FIVE DIVISIONS OF PURE DWELLINGS' YEN MO LO
ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND KIND SHAKRA OF THE THIRTY-THREE, VARDHANA OF GREAT ELOQUENCE AND VIRTUE
ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND KING DHRITARASHTRA, THE SPIRIT MOTHER, AND THE GREAT POWERFUL HORDES
ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND KINGS VIRUDHAKA, VIRUPAKSHA, AND VAISHRAVANA ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND THE GOLDEN PEACOCK KING, THE ASSEMBLY OF GREAT IMMORTALS IN THE
TWENTY-EIGHT DIVISIONS, ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO
ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND MANIBHADRA, THE GREAT GENERAL THE SCATTER-BRANCH, FU LO P’O ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND NANDA AND UPANANDA, DRAGONS SAGARA AND ERAPATTRA ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO
ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND THE ASURAS, GANDHARVAS, GARUDAS, KINNARAS, AND MAHORAGAS ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
I COMMAND THE SPIRITS OF WATER, FIRE, LIGHTNING, AND THUNDER, THE KUMBHANDA KING AND PISHACAS ALWAYS TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD.
Commentary:
Here we have the names of Vajra Dharma Protectors, and each one has his own
spiritual power. Like people, each has his particular strong point. One Dharma
Protector might vow, "I will always protect anyone who recites the Great
Compassion Mantra one hundred and eight times, even if it means giving up my
life." Another might say, "I vow to eternally stand guard over anyone
who recites even a sentence or a single word of this mantra." Yet another
may vow, "To say nothing of those who recite the mantra, I will protect
anyone who has even heard its name. I'll see to it that they get everything
they wish."
Their vows differ, but their goal is the same, that is to protect those who
hold, hear, and truly believe in the Great Compassion Mantra. Above, the text
said, "Produce the slightest doubt and the result will not follow."
If you recite the mantra and wonder why it's not working, why there is no
response, it's not because there's no response, but rather it's that your doubt
has voided any effect it might have had. Turn the light inward and take a look
at yourself. "No doubt it is because I am insincere, and so the inconceivable
mantra power will not respond. “If you want a response, you must not have the
slightest doubt.
"I COMMAND THE SECRET TRACE VAJRA KNIGHTS," says the Bodhisattva
Who Regards the World's Sounds. "Secret" means they can't be seen.
They may be right beside you but you won't know it. They are extremely powerful
Dharma Protectors.
Since their names have been transliterated from Sanskrit, the meaning of
each name will not be explained. It will suffice to know that they are Dharma
Protectors. There are many more than those listed here, eighty-four thousand of
them, in fact, and each one has a different name.
MAHESHVARA-NARAYANA is a powerful knight of the heavens. Some translate his
name as "great python." It doesn't really matter how you translate
the names. In general, they are all Dharma Protectors who protect those who
recite the Great Compassion Mantra.
TAN CHA is mentioned in the Shurangama Mantra as "Ca Tra Bổ Đan Na Jye ja bu dan nwo.” PI P’O, KALAKA KING-- these are names
of ghosts and spirits. In the FIVE DIVISIONS OF PURE DWELLINGS there are Dharma
Protectors called YEN MO LO. SHAKRA is Indra, the Lord of the Heaven of the Thirty-three.
DHRITARASHTRA is one of the Four Heavenly Kings. The Ghost Mother Becomes a
Vegetarian
The SPIRIT MOTHER has an especially powerful retinue. She is sometimes
called the "ghost mother” because at one time she acted like a ghost. She and
her family of one thousand sons went everywhere, stealing and eating newborn
babies and small children two or three years old. Finally the Dharma Protectors
and good spirits, thinking the situation highly unjust and not in accord with
Dharma, complained to Shakyamuni Buddha. "The ghost mother is eating all
the world's children," they said. "Soon there will be none left, and
the human race will become extinct. What can do?"
"This is no big problem," said the Buddha. "I’ll think of
something." Then he sent a Secret Trace Vajra Spirit out to capture the
youngest of the ghost mother's sons. The spirit put the ghost in the Buddha
bowl, and the Buddha turned the bowl over so the ghost couldn't get out. When
the ghost-mother heard the little ghost's cry, she knew right away it was her son
and she came with her other nine hundred ninety-nine sons to take him back by
force. But her spiritual powers were of no use. She couldn't turn the bowl over
and so she asked the Buddha. "Why have you put my son under your bowl?
Don't you hear him crying? How can you have so little compassion."
"You have so many sons," said the Buddha. "Out of a
thousand, surely you won't miss just one?"
"Impossible," said the ghost mother. "I can't part with a
single one."
"You say I have no compassion," continued the Buddha," and
yet you have eaten many human children. Would you call that compassion?"
"I don't really like to eat them," she said, "but if I
don't, I get unbearably hungry. Besides, my teeth aren't too good, and children
are quite tender and satisfying."
"Oh?" said the Buddha. "You've eaten human children by the
score and now you can't part with even one of your own. How do you think human
parents feel?"
"What do I care? I just eat my fill and forget it.
"Then what do I care about you and your child? If you can get him
back, then take him; if you can't, forget it," said the Buddha. The ghost
mother made one last unsuccessful attempt to turn the bowl over and then knelt,
weeping, before the Buddha, begging for her child.
"All right, I'll return your son," said the Buddha. "I
wouldn't have eaten him anyway, because I'm not like you I'm a vegetarian and I
don't eat any meat at all.
"Really? If you don't eat meat, how do you live?” she asked.
"I beg for vegetarian food," said the Buddha.
"How could I beg for food?" said the ghost mother. "I'm not
a Bhikshu."
"Very well," said the Buddha, "if from today onwards you
stop eating children, I will tell my disciples to send you vegetarian food. But
you must quit eating babies."
Of course if I have food to eat, I'll stop eating children," she said.
The Buddha returned her son, and because of this, whenever people who have left
home eat, they send out food for the ghost mother and her sons. It is called
"bestowing food.” They say,
"The great gold-winged garuda bird,
The hordes of ghosts and spirits in the wilds,
The rakshasa ghost mother and her sons:
May they all be filled with sweet dew.
Then they recite a mantra and the ghost mother and the others have food to
eat and don't need to eat babies. So, we have all grown up big and strong, we
go to school, go to work, and do all kinds of things. But if it were not for
Shakyamuni Buddha's conversion of the ghost mother, there wouldn't be many
people left in the world.
Not only does she no longer eat children, but she has become a Buddhist
Dharma protector.
Here, in the Dharani Sutra, the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds
says. "Ghost Mother? It's time for you to do a little merit. Go protect
all those who recite and hold the Great Compassion Mantra."
The GOLDEN PEACOCK KING is the great golden-winged garuda bird. The
TWENTY-EIGHT DIVISIONS refer to the twenty-eight Chinese constellations.
MANIBHADRA and FU LO P’O are Vajra Dharma protectors. NANDA and UPANANDA are
dragon kings who protect the Dharma; so are SAGARA and ERAPATTRA. ASURAS are
beings who like to fight; KINNARAS are musical spirits in the Jade Emperor's
court. MAHORAGAS are giant pythons Gods, dragons, yaksha ghosts, gandharvas,
asuras, garudas, kinnaras, and maboragas make up the eight-fold division.
KUMBHANDAS and PISHACHAS were ghosts who are now Dharma protectors. So, you
see, if you recite the Great Compassion Mantra, even the demons will come to
protect your Dharma.
KINH VĂN:
THỊ CHƯ THIỆN THẦN, CẬP THẦN LONG VƯƠNG, THẦN MẪU NỮ ĐẲNG, CÁC HỮU
NGŨ BÁCH QUYẾN THUỘC ĐẠI LỰC DẠ XOA, THƯỜNG TÙY ỦNG HỘ TỤNG TRÌ ĐẠI BI THẦN CHÚ
GIẢ.
SUTRA:
ALL THESE GOOD SPIRITS, SPIRIT AND DRAGON KINGS, THE SPIRIT
MOTHER, AND SO FORTH, HAVE A RETINUE OF FIVE HUNDRED POWERFUL YAKSHAS WHO
CONSTANTLY ACCOMPANY AND PROTECT THOSE WHO RECITE THE SPIRITUAL MANTRA OF GREAT
COMPASSION.
Commentary:
The above-listed Dharma protectors, GOOD SPIRITS, gods,
dragons, the eight-fold division, the four heavenly kings, all the hordes of
dragons, spirits ghosts, the Vajra knights, the SPIRIT KINGS and DRAGON KINGS,
and the SPIRIT MOTHER, each one of these beings has a following of five hundred
powerful yaksha ghosts who follow and guard reciters of the Great Compassion
Mantra.
KINH VĂN:
KỲ NHÂN NHƯỢC TẠI KHÔNG SƠN KHOÁNG DÃ, ĐỘC TÚC CÔ MIÊN, THỊ CHƯ THIỆN THẦN, PHIÊN ĐẠI TÚC VỆ, TÍCH TRỪ TAI CHƯỚNG. NHƯỢC TẠI THÂM SƠN, MÊ THẤT ĐẠO LỘ, TỤNG THỬ CHÚ CỐ, THIỆN THẦN LONG VƯƠNG, HÓA TÁC THIỆN NHÂN THỊ KỲ CHÁNH ĐẠO. NHƯỢC TẠI SƠN LÂM KHOÁNG DÃ, PHẠT THIỂU THỦY HỎA, LONG VƯƠNG HỘ CỐ, HÓA XUẤT THỦY HỎA.
SUTRA:
IF A RECITER OF THE MANTRA IS STAYING ALONE IN THE UNINHABITED
MOUNTAINS OR WILDS, THESE GOOD SPIRITS WILL TAKE TURNS WATCHING OVER HIM AND
WILL WARD OFF ADVERSITY. IF ONE HAS LOST ONE'S WAY DEEP IN THE MOUNTAIS AND IF
ONE RECITES THIS MANTRA, THE GOOD SPIRITS AND DRAGON KINGS WILL TRANSFORM
THEMSELVES INTO GOOD PEOPLE WHO WILL POINT OUT THE RIGHT ROAD. IF, IN THE
MOUNTAIN FORESTS OR IN THE WILDERNESS, ONE IS IN MANT OF WATER OR FIRE, WATER
AND FIRE WILL APPEAR BY TRANSFORMATION BECAUSE OF THE PROTECTION OF THE DRAGON
KINGS.
Commentary:
If you are cultivating by yourself in
the MOUNTAINS, the GOOD SPIRITS will take turns watching over you. A dragon may
be on duty for two hours, and then a spirit will take his place. Then two hours
later, perhaps the ghost mother or one of her sons will relieve the spirit and
tell him to take a rest. They will ward off any disasters which might otherwise
have occurred.
If you have LOST YOUR WAY in the
mountains and can't tell north from south or east from west because the trees
are so thick that you can't see the sun, you should recite the Great Compassion
Mantra. The good spirits and dragon kings will then TRANSFORM into GOOD PEOPLE
and say, "Go this way," and lead you onto the right road.
If you are without WATER OR FIRE, the
dragon kings will create it for you by transformation.
I shall now use a four-line verse to speak of the general
meaning of the mantra.
Đại Bi Đại Chú thông địa thiên,
Nhất bách nhất thiên Thập Vương hoan,
Đại bi đại từ năng khử bệnh,
Nghiệt kính nhất chiếu biển cao huyền.
The great mantra of great compassion
penetrates heaven and earth.
One hundred recitations for one thousand days
causes ten kings to rejoice.
Its great compassion and kindness
cure all disease;
And so an announcement is projected high
upon the offense screen.
When you recite this great king of mantras, all the spirit gods in the heavens must listen respectfully to you. Ghosts must kneel, join their palms, and listen to your recitation. This is because the Great Compassion Mantra has the power to subdue heavenly demons and regulate externalists, who hear it as a command which they must obey.
If you recite it every day, one hundred and eight times, or,
better yet, a thousand times, for one thousand days, about three years, the directors
of the hell in the court of Yama are all delighted. "That person
cultivates the Great Compassion Mantra!" they say. To recite it one
hundred and eight times and cultivate the Forty-two Hands as well doubles the
response.
I said earlier that there are eighty-four thousand kinds of
sickness in this world. Sincere recitation of the Great Compassion Mantra can
cure them all. In the bells, in the departments of the ten kings, there is a
platform on which stands the "offense screen. On it is projected, frame by
frame, every offense you have ever committed: killing, stealing, sexual misconduct
or taking intoxicants. But now, your recitation of the mantra has wiped away
those offenses. The screen blank, and on it hangs a sign which says, "Ghosts
spirits must respect this person, for he recites the Great Compassion
Mantra."
KINH VĂN:
QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT PHỤC VỊ TỤNG TRÌ GIẢ, THUYẾT TIÊU TRỪ TAI HỌA
THANH LƯƠNG CHI KỆ:
“NHƯỢC HÀNH KHOÁNG DÃ SƠN TRẠCH TRUNG,
PHÙNG TRỊ HỔ LANG CHƯ ÁC THÚ,
XÀ, NGOAN, TINH, MỊ, VỌNG LƯỢNG QUỶ,
VĂN TỤNG THỬ CHÚ MẠC NĂNG HẠI.
SUTRA:
THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD’S SOUNDS, FOR THE SAKE
OF THOSE WHO RECITE HOLD THE MANTRA, SPOKE FURTHER THIS VERSE OF ERADICATING
DISASTERS AND ALLAYING CALAMITIES:
IF, MOVING THROUGH THE WILDS,
IN THE MOUNTAINS OR THE MARSH,
YOU ENCOUNTER WOLVES OR TIGERS
OR OTHER EVIL BEASTS,
SERPENTS, SNAKES, CHING MEI,
OR WANG LIANG GHOSTS,
RECITE THIS MANTRA AND THEY
WILL NOT CAUSE YOU HARM.
Commentary:
If you are in the WILDS, a hundred thousand miles from
civilization, or in a desert, and you meet WOLVES OR TIGERS, evil birds,
beasts, vipers or various kind of ghosts such as the ching mei or wang Liang,
you should recite the Great Compassion Mantra. When these creatures hear it,
they are powerless to harm you or vex you.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC HÀNH GIANG HỒ THƯƠNG HẢI GIAN,
ĐỘC XÀ, GIAO LONG, MA KIỆT THÚ,
DẠ XOA, LA SÁT, NGƯ, QUY, MIẾT,
VĂN TỤNG THỬ CHÚ TỰ TÀNG ẨN.
SUTRA:
IF YOU'RE MOVING ON THE RIVERS,
IN THE LAKES OR SEAS,
WHERE THERE ARE POISONOUS SNAKES,
SCALY DRAGONS, OR MAKARA BEASTS.
YAKSHAS, RAKSHASAS, FISH OR SEA TURTLES,
RECITE THIS MANTRA AND THEY ALL WILL HIDE AWAY.
Commentary:
SCALY DRAGONS are poisonous. MAKARA BEASTS are weird creatures
of the water or land, big creepy animals. If you recite the Great Compassion
Mantra, all these strange creatures will HIDE AWAY, powerless to work their
will, to do their strange things.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC PHÙNG QUÂN TRẬN
TẶC VI NHIỄU,
HOẶC BỊ ÁC NHÂN ĐOẠT TÀI BẢO,
CHÍ THÀNH XƯNG TỤNG ĐẠI BI CHÚ,
BỈ KHỞI TỪ TÂM PHỤC ĐẠO QUY.
SUTRA:
SHOULD YOU MEET WITH BATTLING ARMIES,
BE SURROUNDED BY THIEVES,
OR ROBBED OF YOUR TREASURES BY EVIL MEN,
RECITE THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA
WITH EXTREME SINCERITY,
THEY WILL BE COMPASSIONATE AND GO BACK
TO WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
Commentary:
To be extremely sincere means to turn all your attention to
your recitation of the mantra and have no other false thoughts. THIEVES
basically have no compassion, they are asuras, but because when you recite the
mantra, the "response and the Way intertwine," those without
compassion become compassionate and don't steal your valuables.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC VI VƯƠNG QUAN THÂU
LỤC THÂN,
LINH NGỮ CẤM BẾ NỮU GIÀ TỎA,
CHÍ THÀNH XƯNG TỤNG ĐẠI BI CHÚ,
QUAN TỰ KHAI ÂN THÍCH PHÓNG HOÀN.
SUTRA:
SHOULD YOU BE ARRESTED BY OFFICIALS
OF THE KING,
CONFINED IN PRISON, WEARING HANDCUFFS
AND THE CANGUE,
SAY THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA
WITH EXTREME SINCERITY,
THE OFFICIALS WILL BE MERCIFUL
AND SET YOU FREE.
Commentary:
Whether guilty or not, should you find in jail wearing the ball
and chain, without a bit of freedom, then recite the mantra. The officials
will drop their charges and release.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC NHẬP DÃ ĐẠO CỔ ĐỘC
GIA,
ẨM THỰC HỮU DƯỢC DỤC TƯƠNG HẠI,
CHÍ THÀNH XƯNG TỤNG ĐẠI BI CHÚ,
ĐỘC DƯỢC BIẾN THÀNH CAM LỒ TƯƠNG.
SUTRA:
SHOULD YOU COME UPON THE WILD WAYS
OF POISON SORCERERS,
WHO DRUG YOUR FOOD AND DRINK
TO INJURE YOU,
SAY THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA
WITH EXTREME SINCERITY,
THEIR VENOM WILL TRANSFORM INTO
THE SAUCE OF SWEET DEW.
Commentary:
WILD WAYS refers to non-Buddhist religion as
"side-doors" or "left-handed paths." They are deviant and
improper. In China, these sorcerers are called "Lạc Cáng Đầu Lo Kang T'ou," and they may poison you food or tea. They
may recite a mantra over a food and give you a bite of it, and then it can swell your stomach
and kill you. Or they may say a mantra which shrinks your head to the size of a
chicken or they may put something on the road which poison you when you pick it
up. Matangi's use of the Brahma heaven
mantra in The Shurangama Sutra is an
example this kind of sorcery. If you can recite the Great Compassion Mantra,
however, the poisons of sorcerers all become sweet dew, the medicine of
immortality.
KINH VĂN:
NỮ NHÂN LÂM NẠN SANH SẢN
THỜI,
TÀ MA GIÀ CHƯỚNG KHỔ NAN NHẪN,
CHÍ TÂM XƯNG TỤNG ĐẠI BI CHÚ,
QUỶ THẦN THOÁI TÁN AN LẠC SANH.
SUTRA:
WOMEN IN DIFFICULT LABOR
ON THE POINT OF GIVING BIRTH,
BLOCKED BY DEVIANT DEMONS
AND SUFFERING UNBEARABLY,
SHOULD SAY THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA
WITH EXTREME SINCERITY;
GHOSTS AND SPIRITS WILL VANISH,
AND THEY WILL GIVE BIRTH IN PEACE.
Commentary:
When DEVIANT DEMONS and strange creatures obstruct the birth,
women may sometimes be in labor up to five days and suffer terribly.
In Manchuria, while I was cultivating filial piety beside my
mother's grave, a woman named T’ang in a nearby village had been in labor for
three days when her family came to me for help. I told them to recite the name
of the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds. Soon after they did this,
the child was born. It was stillborn, but the mother was all right. This was a
special response from the Bodhisattva.
If one sincerely recites the mantra, the birth will be peaceful and without danger.
KINH VĂN:
ÁC LONG DỊCH QUỶ HÀNH
ĐỘC KHÍ,
NHIỆT BỆNH XÂM LĂNG MẠNG DỤC CHUNG,
CHÍ TÂM XƯNG TỤNG ĐẠI BI CHÚ,
DỊCH BỆNH TIÊU TRỪ THỌ MẠNG TRƯỜNG.
SUTRA:
POISONOUS FUMES FROM EVIL DRAGONS
AND EPIDEMIC GHOSTS,
MAY SPREAD A FLAMING FEVER,
THREATENING YOUR LIFE;
SAY THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA
WITH EXTREME
PESTILENCE WILL VANISH
AND YOUR LIFESPAN WILL INCREASE.
Commentary
There are many kinds of DRAGONS: heavenly dragons, ocean
dragons, land dragons, poisonous dragons, white, black, fire, and gold-colored
dragons.
By native province in Manchuria is called "Black Dragon,”
because a black dragon is often seen there in the river.
EPIDEMICS, plagues, and infectious diseases such as cholera,
are caused by ghosts who carry disease- germs and scatter them everywhere.
People who smell the poisonous fumes are doomed to die unless they can recite
the mantra sincerely, in which case their fever will abate, and their lifespan
will be a long one.
KINH VĂN:
LONG QUỶ LƯU HÀNH CHƯ
ĐỘC THŨNG,
UNG SANG HUYẾT THỐNG PHẢ KHAM,
CHÍ TÂM XƯNG TỤNG ĐẠI BI CHÚ,
TAM THÓA ĐỘC THŨNG TÙY KHẨU TIÊU.
SUTRA:
GHOSTS AND DRAGONS SPREAD VIRULENCE CAUSING.
BLEEDING BOILS AND FESTEBING ULCERS
SO THE PAIN CANNOT BE BORNE.
SAY THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA
WITH EXTREME SINCERITY.
THREE PUFFS--THE POISON IS EXPELLED,
GONE WITHOUT A TRACE.
Commentary:
GHOSTS AND DRAGONS may cause infectious rashes, swellings, boils, or carbuncles which cover the entire body, bleeding and festering; they are unbearably painful. If you recite the mantra and then blow three puffs of air, your disease will be expelled, completely cured. Isn't this strange and wonderful?
KINH VĂN:
CHÚNG SANH TRƯỢC ÁC KHỞI
BẤT THIỆN,
YẾM MỊ CHÚ THƯ KẾT OÁN THÙ,
CHÍ TÂM XƯNG TỤNG ĐẠI BI CHÚ,
YẾM MỊ HOÀN TRƯỚC Ư BỔN NHÂN.
SUTRA:
BECLOUDED, EVIL BEINGS
DO NOT BRING FORTH THE GOOD,
WITH HEXES AND SPELLS CREATING
ANIMOSITY.
SAY THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA
WITH EXTREME SINCERITY.
THE HEX WILL THEN RETURN TO VEX
THE ONE WHO SENT IT FORTH.
Commentary:
Living beings! If you teach them to be good, they won't
listen. It's too easy to continue being jealous and obstructive.
Non-Buddhists may use deviant mantras to place hexes on
people. Members of the Secret School, for example, may recite a mantra and
cultivate a dharma so that, in less than a week, you drop dead. Then, if they
choose, they can bring you back to life. Fierce indeed! So, if you have Secret
School friends, you had better be careful not to cross them or they may "mantra
you to death!"
These people are cruel and asura-like in nature. They are
vengeful ghosts. They make a little voodoo doll. Today they take a needle and
stick out your eyes; tomorrow they poke out your ears; the next day they go for
your throat and cut off your breath. Such are the devices of the "side
doors" and "left-handed ways." But you needn't fear them if you
truly recite the Great Compassion Mantra. This mantra will render ineffective
all their devices and they will be forced to undergo the retribution of the
poisonous, hateful devices they had thought to use on you.
KINH VĂN:
ÁC SANH TRƯỢC LOẠN PHÁP
DIỆT THỜI,
DÂM DỤC HỎA THẠNH TÂM MÊ ĐẢO,
KHÍ BỐI THÊ TẾ NGOẠI THAM NHIỄM,
TRÚ DẠ TÀ TƯ VÔ TẠM ĐÌNH.
NHƯỢC NĂNG XƯNG TỤNG ĐẠI BI CHÚ,
DÂM DỤC HỎA DIỆT, TÀ TÂM TRỪ.
SUTRA:
WHEN BEINGS ARE TURBID AND CHAOTIC
AND THE DHARMA EXTINCT,
THE RAGING FIRE OF SEXUAL DESIRE
INFATUATES THEIR HEARTS.
REJECTING THEIR SPOUSES,
THEY COVET OUTWARD FILTH;
DAY AND NIGHT, THEIR TWISTED THOUGHTS
ARE WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST PAUSE.
RECITATION OF THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA WILL
DESTROY THE
FIRE OF SEXUAL DESIRE
AND CAST OUT DEVIANT THOUGHT.
Commentary:
In the Dharma-ending age there is much evil. This is the time of the five turbidities--chaos with respect to time, views, afflictions, living beings, and lifespan. At this time, the Buddhadharma is non-existent. This is like now, when people's thoughts of lust greatly outweigh their thoughts to study the Dharma. They never think, "I'm going to study Buddhism every day and sleep less. Or at least when I'm awake I'll study." No. instead they have insomnia and sexual desire. Driven by ignorance, they think that studying Buddhism is meaningless and sexual desire is wonderful, extraordinarily wonderful.
The Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds knew long ago that in the
Dharma-ending age the hearts of living beings would become scattered, inverted,
and unclear. This is like a certain person who said, “When I see my
girlfriend...I just can't stand it. It's just too much." Funny, isn't it?
At this time, COVETING OUTWARD FILTH, wives will cheat on their husbands
and take lovers, husbands cheat on their wives and take mistresses. Greedy deviant
sex and burning with the fire of their desires, they think about it all day and
they think about it all night; their TWISTED THOUGHTS never cease, not ever for
an instant. These men and women may go to church or to school, but not to
attend the service or to study. They go looking for a "partner."
But if you can recite the Great Compassion Mantra, then bit by bit the
raging fire of desire will be extinguished, and your perverted thoughts will
cease. So, whether you are a man or a woman, if you have too much sexual
desire, sincerely recite the mantra and your desire and your improper knowledge
and views will gradually disappear.
KINH VĂN:
NGÃ NHƯỢC QUẢNG TÁN CHÚ
CÔNG LỰC,
NHẤT KIẾP XƯNG DƯƠNG VÔ TẬN KỲ.
SUTRA:
WERE I TO PRAISE EXTENSIVELY
THE POWER OF THIS MANTRA,
I COULD NOT EXHAUST ITS PRAISE
UNTIL THE END OF TIME.
Commentary:
Finally, the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World’s Sounds says, "The
power of this mantra's merit and virtue is such that, were I to speak of it in
all places at all times, throughout all aeons, I could never finish
praising it.”
KINH VĂN:
NHĨ THỜI QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ
TÁT CÁO PHẠM THIÊN NGÔN: “TỤNG THỬ CHÚ NGŨ BIẾN, THỦ NGŨ SẮC TUYẾN TÁC SÁCH.
CHÚ NHỊ THẬP NHẤT BIẾN, KẾT TÁC NHỊ THẬP NHẤT KẾT HỆ HẠNG.
THỬ ĐÀ-LA-NI THỊ QUÁ KHỨ
CỬU THẬP CỬU ỨC HẰNG HÀ SA CHƯ PHẬT SỞ THUYẾT.
SUTRA:
THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS THEN SAID TO THE BRAHMA HEAVEN
KING, "RECITE THIS MANTRA FIVE TIMES AND FASHION FIVE COLORED THREADS INTO
A LARIAT. RECITE THE MANTRA TWENTY-ONE TIMES WHILE TYING IT INTO TWENTY-ONE
KNOTS. THEN PLACE IT AROUND YOUR NECK.
"THIS DHARANI HAS BEEN SPOKEN BY BUDDHAS OF THE PAST AS NUMEROUS AS
THE GRAINS IN NINETY-NINE MILLION GANGES RIVERS.
Commentary:
One recites the mantra FIVE times to represent the five major divisions of
the world:
1. The eastern division of Akshobhya, called the Vajra Division.
2. The southern Jewel-birth Division.
3. The western Lotus Division.
4. The northern Karma Division.
5. The central Buddha Division.
The five colors of the threads also correspond to the five directions. The
east is blue, the south is red, the west is white, the north is black, and the
center is yellow. One makes the lariat to correspond to the five directions and
the five colors; one recites the mantra twenty-one times while tying the thread
into twenty-one knots, and then hangs it around one's neck.
KINH VĂN:
BỈ ĐẲNG CHƯ PHẬT, VI CHƯ HÀNH NHÂN TU HÀNH LỤC ĐỘ VỊ MÃN TÚC
GIẢ, TỐC LINH MÃN TÚC CỐ; VỊ PHÁT BỒ-ĐỀ TÂM GIẢ, TỐC LINH PHÁT TÂM CỐ; NHƯỢC
THANH VĂN NHÂN VỊ CHỨNG QUẢ GIẢ, TỐC LINH CHỨNG CỐ;
SUTRA:
ALL THOSE BUDDHAS WILL CAUSE PRACTITIONERS WHO CULTIVATE BUT WHO HAVE NOT
YET COMPLETELY FULFILLED THE SIX PERFECTIONS TO FULFILL THEM QUICKLY. THOSE WHO
HAVE NOT YET BROUGHT FORTH THEIR HEARTS OF BODHI
WILL QUICKLY BE CAUSED TO DO SO. SOUND HEARERS WHO HAVE NOT YET CERTIFIED TO
THE RESULT WILL QUICKLY BE CAUSED TO CERTIFY.
Commentary:
As to the Six Perfections:
1. Giving takes stinginess across. If you are stingy
you should practice giving.
"Then, you may ask, "if I'm not stingy, should I practice
giving?"
If you are not stingy, you should practice giving all the more!
If you can practice giving, you will not be stingy.
2. Morality takes
violations across. Not to follow the rules means to break the precepts. And
those who break the precepts simply do not believe in the Buddhadharma. The
Buddha instructed his disciples that, after his Nirvana, they should take the
Vinaya--the moral code--as their master.
3. Patience takes anger
across. If you have a big temper, you should cultivate patience and not get
mad over every little thing. If you aren't selfish, you won't get angry and not
getting angry is simply patience.
4. Vigor takes laziness
across. Dhyana samadhi takes distraction across. Those who like to
daydream, to scheme and plot, should develop skill in Dhyana meditation, for
Dhyana meditation takes confused thoughts across.
5. Prajna takes
stupidity across. People who have no wisdom are stupid.
If you cultivate the Great Compassion Dharma, you may quickly
perfect the Six Perfections.
If you recite the Great Compassion Mantra, you may quickly
bring forth the heart of Bodhi.
Second Vehicle Sound Hearers who haven't certified to the
first, second, third or fourth stages of Arhatship and who recite the Great
Compassion Mantra will quickly be caused to certify.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC TAM THIÊN ĐẠI THIÊN THẾ GIỚI NỘI, CHƯ THẦN TIÊN NHÂN
VỊ PHÁT VÔ THƯỢNG BỒ-ĐỀ TÂM GIẢ, TỐC LINH PHÁT TÂM CỐ; NHƯỢC CHƯ CHÚNG SANH VỊ
ĐẮC ĐẠI THỪA TÍN CĂN GIẢ, DĨ THỬ ĐÀ-LA-NI UY THẦN LỰC CỐ, LINH KỲ ĐẠI THỪA
CHỦNG TỬ PHÁP NHA TĂNG TRƯỞNG. DĨ NGÃ PHƯƠNG TIỆN TỪ BI LỰC CỐ, LINH KỲ SỞ TU,
GIAI ĐẮC THÀNH BIỆN.”
SUTRA:
SPIRITS AND IMMORTALS WITHIN THE THREE
THOUSAND GREAT THOUSAND WORLDS WHO HAVE NOT YET BROUGHT FORTH THE UNSURPASSED
HEART OF BODHI WILL QUICKLY BE CAUSED TO DO SO. BY MEANS OF THE AWESOME
SPIRITUAL POWER OF THIS DHARANI, LIVING BEINGS WHO HAVE NOT YET DEVELOPED THE
ROOT OF FAITH IN THE GREAT VEHICLE WILL BE CAUSED TO HAVE THEIR GREAT VEHICLE
SEEDS AND DHARMA SPROUTS GROW. BY MEANS OF THE POWER OF MY EXPEDIENTS AND MY
COMPASSION, EVERYTHING THEY NEED WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED FOR THEM.
Commentary:
Their faith in the Great Vehicle, their SPROUTS of
enlightenment, will grow, and everything they seek shall be given to them, just
as they wish, all because they recite the Great Compassion Mantra.
KINH VĂN:
HỰU TAM THIÊN ĐẠI THIÊN THẾ GIỚI, U ẨN ÁM XỨ, TAM ĐỒ
CHÚNG SANH, VĂN NGÃ THỬ CHÚ, GIAI ĐẮC LY KHỔ. HỮU CHƯ BỒ-TÁT VỊ GIAI SƠ TRỤ GIẢ,
TỐC LINH ĐẮC CỐ; NÃI CHÍ LINH ĐẮC THẬP TRỤ ĐỊA CỐ; HỰU LINH ĐẮC ĐÁO PHẬT ĐỊA CỐ,
TỰ NHIÊN THÀNH TỰU TAM THẬP NHỊ TƯỚNG, BÁT THẬP TÙY HÌNH HẢO.
SUTRA:
MOREOVER, THOSE LIVING BEINGS ON THE THREE EVIL PATHS WHO ARE
HIDDEN IN THE DARK RECESSES OF THE THREE THOUSAND GREAT-THOUSAND WORLDS WILL,
UPON HEARING THIS MANTRA OF MINE, OBTAIN SEPARATION FROM SUFFERING.
BODHISATTVAS WHO HAVE NOT YET ASCENDED TO THE FIRST DWELLING WILL QUICKLY BE
CAUSED TO DO SO, REACHING EVEN TO THE TENTH DWELLING, AND TO THE ATTAINMENT OF
THE BUDDHA LEVEL. THEY WILL SPONTANEOUSLY ACCOMPLISH THE THIRTY-TWO MARKS AND
THE EIGHTY MINOR CHARACTERISTICS.
Commentary:
Although the Three thousand Great-Thousand Worlds contain many
suns, moons, and Mount Sumerus, there are still a lot of DARK, shady places to
be found in them. These dark places, which we cannot see or hear, are the THREE
EVIL PATHS, the hells, the realm of animals, and the realm of hungry ghosts.
Some say they are the path of blood, the path of knives, and the path of fire. In
general, these three places are not good to dwell in. But although they are
evil places, living beings who have evoked the necessary karmic retribution
must live in them. However, if a being that dwells in these dark places, unable
to see the light of the sun or moon, only hears the Great Compassion Heart
Mantra, that being will leave SUFFERING and attain bliss. Why? Just because it
heard the mantra.
BODHISATTVAS WHO HAVE NOT YET ASCENDED TO THE FIRST DWELLING,
that of Bringing Forth the Heart, who recite the mantra, will quickly arrive
there. They may also attain the tenth dwelling. Anointing the Crown, and the
Ten Grounds as well. They may even attain the ten grounds and the Buddha
Ground, the Ground of Wonderful Enlightenment, thereby naturally perfecting the
THIRTY-TWO MARKS AND THE EIGHTY MINOR CHARACTERISTICS.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC THANH VĂN NHÂN VĂN THỬ ĐÀ-LA-NI, NHẤT KINH NHĨ GIẢ, TU
HÀNH THƯ TẢ THỬ ĐÀ-LA-NI GIẢ, DĨ CHẤT TRỰC TÂM NHƯ PHÁP NHI TRỤ GIẢ;
TỨ SA-MÔN QUẢ, BẤT CẦU TỰ ĐẮC.
SUTRA:
IF SOUND HEARERS HEAR THIS DHARANI PASS BY THEIR EARS BUT
ONCE, IF THEY CULTIVATE IT AND WRITE IT OUT WITH A STRAIGHTFORWARD HEART, AND
IF THEY DWELL IN ACCORD WITH DHARMA, THEY WILL NATURALLY ATTAIN THE FOUR FRUITS
OF A SHRAMANA, EVEN IF THEY DO NOT SEEK THEM.
Commentary:
The STRAIGHTFORWARD HEART is the heart without deviousness.
The straightforward heart is the Bodhimandala, and with such a heart you can
attain any position you wish. To DWELL IN ACCORD WITH DHARMA is to cultivate
according to the Great Compassion Dharma if you do this, then even if you don't
SEEK them, you will attain the FOUR FRUITS OF A SHRAMANA: the first, second,
third, and fourth stages of Arhatship.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC TAM THIÊN ĐẠI THIÊN THẾ GIỚI NỘI, SƠN HÀ THẠCH
BÍCH, TỨ ĐẠI HẢI THỦY, NĂNG LINH DŨNG PHẤT; TU-DI SƠN CẬP THIẾT-VI SƠN, NĂNG
LINH DAO ĐỘNG, HỰU LINH TOÁI NHƯ VI TRẦN; KỲ TRUNG CHÚNG SANH, TẤT LINH PHÁT VÔ
THƯỢNG BỒ-ĐỀ TÂM.
SUTRA:
WITHIN THE THREE THOUSAND GREAT-THOUSAND WORLDS, ALL THE
MOUNTAINS, RIVERS, AND PRECIPICES ARE CAUSED TO BUBBLE AND SURGE. MOUNT SUMERU
AND THE IRON RING MOUNTAINS ARE CAUSED TO SHAKE AND BREAK APART INTO FINE DUST.
LIVING BEINGS IN THEIR MIDST ALL BRING FORTH THE UNSURPASSED HEART OF BODHI.
Commentary
MOUNT SUMERU "Wonderfully High Mountain,” and the Iron
Ring Mountains which surround the hells, all break apart when you recite the
mantra, and living beings bring forth the heart of supreme, great enlightenment.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC CHƯ CHÚNG SANH HIỆN THẾ CẦU NGUYỆN GIẢ, Ư TAM
THẤT NHẬT, TỊNH TRÌ TRAI GIỚI, TỤNG THỬ ĐÀ-LA-NI, TẤT QUẢ SỞ NGUYỆN;
TÙNG SANH TỬ TẾ CHÍ SANH TỬ TẾ, NHẤT THIẾT ÁC NGHIỆP TỊNH GIAI
DIỆT TẬN; TAM THIÊN ĐẠI THIÊN THẾ GIỚI NỘI, NHẤT THIẾT CHƯ PHẬT BỒ-TÁT,
PHẠM THÍCH TỨ THIÊN VƯƠNG, THẦN TIÊN LONG VƯƠNG, TẤT GIAI CHỨNG TRI.
NHƯỢC CHƯ THIÊN NHÂN TỤNG TRÌ THỬ ĐÀ-LA-NI GIẢ,
KỲ NHÂN NHƯỢC TẠI GIANG HÀ ĐẠI HẢI TRUNG MỘC DỤC, KỲ TRUNG CHÚNG SANH ĐẮC
THỬ NHÂN MỘC THÂN CHI THỦY, TRIÊM TRƯỚC KỲ THÂN, NHẤT THIẾT ÁC NGHIỆP
TRỌNG TỘI TẤT GIAI TIÊU DIỆT, TỨC ĐẮC CHUYỂN SANH THA PHƯƠNG TỊNH ĐỘ, LIÊN HOA
HÓA SANH, BẤT THỌ THAI THÂN, THẤP NOÃN CHI THÂN, HÀ HUỐNG THỌ TRÌ ĐỘC
TỤNG GIẢ?
NHƯỢC TỤNG TRÌ GIẢ HÀNH Ư ĐẠO LỘ, ĐẠI
PHONG THỜI LAI, XUY THỬ NHÂN THÂN MAO PHÁT Y PHỤC, DƯ PHONG
HẠ QUÁ; CHƯ LOẠI CHÚNG SANH ĐẮC KỲ NHÂN PHIÊU THÂN PHONG XUY TRƯỚC Y
GIẢ, NHẤT THIẾT TRỌNG CHƯỚNG ÁC NGHIỆP TỊNH GIAI DIỆT TẬN, CÁNH BẤT
THỌ TAM ÁC ĐẠO BÁO, THƯỜNG SANH PHẬT TIỀN.
ĐƯƠNG TRI THỌ TRÌ GIẢ, PHÚC ĐỨC QUẢ BÁO BẤT
KHẢ TƯ NGHỊ.
SUTRA:
IF LIVING BEINGS WOULD HAVE WHAT THEY SEEK, THEY SHOULD HOLD
THE PRECEPTS PURELY, PRACTICE VEGETARIANISM, AND RECITE THE DHARANI FOR
TWENTY-ONE DAYS; THEY WILL CERTAINLY OBTAIN THEIR WISH. FROM THE LIMIT OF BIRTH
AND DEATH TO THE LIMIT OF BIRTH AND DEATH, ALL THEIR EVIL KARMA WILL BE
ERADICATED. ALL BUDDHAS, BODHISATTVAS, BRAHMAS, SHAKRA, THE FOUR HEAVENLY
KINGS, SPIRITS, IMMORTALS, AND DRAGON KINGS WITHIN THE THREE THOUSAND
GREAT-THOUSAND WORLDS WILL CERTIFY TO THIS.
IF A GOD WHO RECITES AND HOLDS THIS DHARANI SHOULD BATHE IN A
RIVER, IN A STREAM, OR IN THE OCEAN, AND IF LIVING BEINGS MOISTEN THEMSELVES
WITH SOME OF THE WATER IN WHICH THAT GOD HAS BATHED, ALL THEIR EVIL KARMA AND
HEAVY OFFENSES WILL BE WIPED AWAY. THEY WILL IN TURN BE BORN IN THE PURE LANDS
OF OTHER DIRECTIONS; BORN TRANSFORMATIONALLY FROM A LOTUS FLOWER, THEY WILL NOT
UNDERGO BIRTH FROM A WOMB, FROM MOISTURE, OR FROM AN EGG. THIS IS EVEN MORE THE
CASE IF THEY SHOULD RECITE AND HOLD THE MANTRA THEMSELVES.
IF ONE WHO RECITES AND HOLDS THE GREAT COMPASSION MANTRA
SHOULD BE WALKING ALONG THE ROAD AND SHOULD A WIND BLOW ACROSS HIS BODY AND
CLOTHING, THEN IF LIVING BEINGS DOWNWIND ARE TOUCHED BY THAT BREEZE, THEN ALL
THEIR HEAVY OBSTACLES AND BAD KARMA WILL BE ERADICATED. THEY WILL, MOREOVER,
NOT RECEIVE THE RETRIBUTION OF THE THREE EVIL PATHS AND WILL ALWAYS BE BORN IN
THE PRESENCE OF A BUDDHA.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE REWARD OF BLESSINGS AND VIRTUE THAT
ACCRUE TO ONE WHO ACCEPTS AND HOLDS THE MANTRA ARE INCONCEIVABLE.
Commentary:
So great is the power of the Great Compassion Mantra that all
the BUDDHAS, BODHISATTVAS, gods, dragons, and SPIRITS will CERTIFY that your
offenses have been wiped away.
Heavy offenses will be wiped away by the wind which has blown
across the BODY AND CLOTHING of a reciter. These offenses are the five
rebellious acts: patricide, matricide, killing an Arhat, shedding the Buddha's
blood, and causing disharmony within the Sangha.
If offenses can be wiped away by the wind which has passed by
one reciting the mantra, how much the more inconceivable is the merit and
virtue obtained by one who recites the mantra himself! It is INCONCEIVABLE. It
cannot be talked about. There is no way you can know how great that merit and
virtue is.
KINH VĂN:
TỤNG TRÌ THỬ ĐÀ LA NI GIẢ, KHẨU TRUNG SỞ XUẤT NGÔN ÂM, NHƯỢC
THIỆN NHƯỢC ÁC, NHẤT THIẾT THIÊN MA, NGOẠI ĐẠO, THIÊN LONG QUỶ THẦN VĂN GIẢ,
GIAI THỊ THANH TỊNH PHÁP ÂM, GIAI Ư KỲ NHÂN KHỞI CUNG KÍNH TÂM, TÔN TRỌNG NHƯ
PHẬT.
SUTRA:
ALL WORDS SPOKEN BY ONE WHO RECITES AND HOLDS THIS DHARANI, BE
THEY GOOD OR EVIL, ARE HEARD AS THE CLEAR, PURE SOUNDS OF DHARMA BY THE
HEAVENLY DEMONS, EXTERNALISTS, GODS, DRAGONS, GHOSTS, AND SPIRITS, WHO ALL
RESPECT THAT PERSON AND VENERATE HIM AS IF HE WERE A BUDDHA.
Commentary:
If you simply remember the mantra and study, it but do not
recite it, it is of no use. RECITE means to say it from memory, without looking
at the book. HOLD means to recite it every day; it doesn't mean to recite it
today but not tomorrow and then recite it again the day after. If you
"hold" the mantra, you do not stop reciting it. If you recite it 108
times today, you should recite it 108 times tomorrow as well, and the day after
that, without cutting it off.
You say, "I
remember it in my mind, but I don't recite it.”
That's useless. You must be consistent and cultivate in the
same way, morning and evening, without a particle of laziness or Laxness.
DHARANI means "to unite and hold." It unites all dharmas and holds
limit less meanings. It also unites and holds the three karmas of body, mouth,
and mind, so that there is no violation. Not being greedy, hateful, or stupid
is to hold purely the karma of the mind. Not killing, stealing, or committing
sexual misconduct is pure body-karma. Not speaking abusively, not lying, not
slandering, not using coarse speech is pure mouth-karma. The purity of the
three karmas of body mouth, and mind is true recitation of the Great Compassion
Mantra.
If you recite the Dharani constantly, then your WORDS, BE THEY
GOOD OR EVIL… Basically, one who reciter the mantra should not speak evil words.
But if you should accidentally do so, then all the gods, heavenly demons,
externalists, dragons, ghosts, and spirits, will hear those words as the CLEAR,
PURE SOUND OF DHARMA. This is not to say that you can casually scold people,
however People will still hear your words an evil, if they didn't, they would
be lacking in moral sense. But other beings will hear the words as the clear,
pure Dharma-sound. The power of the mantra will turn their ear organs so that
they hear it in this way. They will respect and VENERATE the speaker just as
they would venerate all the BUDDHAS of the past, in the ten directions.
KINH VĂN:
TỤNG TRÌ THỬ ĐÀ LA NI GIẢ, ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN TỨC THỊ PHẬT
THÂN TẠNG, CỬU THẬP CỬU ỨC HẰNG HÀ SA CHƯ PHẬT SỞ ÁI TÍCH CỐ.
SUTRA:
AS TO ONE WHO RECITES AND HOLDS THE DHARANI, YOU SHOULD KNOW
THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF THE BUDDHA'S BODY, FOR HE IS CHERISHED BY THE BUDDHAS
IN NUMBER AS THE SANDS IN NINETY-NINE MILLION GANGES RIVERS.
Commentary:
He has already manifested the Buddha's
body. Because the aiding-power of samadhi makes his body appear luminous and
bright like the Buddha's body, even though he hasn't yet realized Buddhahood.
Such is the aiding-power, the merit and virtue, and the assistance of the Great
Compassion Mantra.
But if you recite the mantra, you must
follow the rules. You cannot say, "I am a treasury of the Budha’s body,
and so I can do what I please."
As a TREASURY OF THE BUDDHA'S BODY,
one is CHERISHED BY BUDDHAS IN
NUMBER AS THE SANDS IN NINETY-NINE MILLION GANGES RIVERS. Those Buddhas have
all made a vow, "I will protect those who recite and hold the Great compassion
Mantra just as if I were protecting the Buddhas of the ten directions."
KINH VĂN:
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN TỨC THỊ QUANG MINH TẠNG, NHẤT THIẾT NHƯ LAI
QUANG MINH CHIẾU CỐ.
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN THỊ TỪ BI TẠNG, HẰNG DĨ ĐÀ LA NI CỨU CHÚNG
SANH CỐ.
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN THỊ DIỆU PHÁP TẠNG, PHỔ NHIẾP NHẤT THIẾT
CHƯ ĐÀ LA NI MÔN CỐ.
SUTRA:
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF BRIGHT LIGHT, FOR HE
IS BRIGHTLY ILLUMINATED BY ALL THE THUS COME ONES.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF COMPASSION, FOR HE
CONTINUALLY USES THE DHARANI TO RESCUE LIVING BEINGS.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF THE WONDERFUL DHARMA,
FOR HE INCORPORATES ALL DHARANI-DOORS.
Commentary:
When you recite the Great Compassion Mantra, you emit all
kinds of BRIGHT LIGHT, and so you become a TREASURY of brilliance shone upon by
all the Thus Come Ones. The moment you recite the mantra, the Buddhas, the THUS
COME ONES, of the ten directions all shine their light on you.
The reciter is also a TREASURY OF COMPASSION, of kindness and
sympathy, for he CONSTANTLY USES THE DHARANI TO RESCUE LIVING BEINGS, and to
cause them to leave suffering and obtain bliss. He uses the mantra to eradicate
disasters, disperse illness, wipe out offenses and bring forth blessedness.
He is a collection of the WONDERFUL DHARMA, because he can
gather all living beings and INCORPORATE ALL DHARANI-DOORS into this one
Dharani door; he collects and unites all the wonderful dharmas.
KINH VĂN:
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN THỊ THIỀN ĐỊNH TẠNG, BÁCH THIÊN TAM MUỘI
GIAI HIỆN TIỀN CỐ.
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN THỊ HƯ KHÔNG TẠNG, THƯỜNG DĨ KHÔNG HUỆ QUÁN
CHÚNG SANH CỐ.
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN THỊ VÔ ÚY TẠNG, LONG THIÊN THIỆN THẦN THƯỜNG
HỘ TRÌ CỐ.
SUTRA:
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF DHYANA CONCENTRATION
BECAUSE THE HUNDRED THOUSAND SAMADHIS ALL ARE MANIFEST.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF EMPTY SPACE, FOR HE
ALWAYS USES THE WISDOM OF EMPTINESS TO CONTEMPLATE LIVING BEINGS.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF FEARLESSNESS, FOR HE
IS ALWAYS PROTECTED BY DRAGONS, GODS, AND GOOD SPIRITS.
Commentary:
Why is one who recites the Great Compassion Mantra said to be
a TREASURY OF DHYANA CONCENTRATION? Because the HUNDRED THOUSAND SAMADHIS ALL
ARE MANIFEST. It is not the case that they are manifest simultaneously; yet it
is the case that they are manifest simultaneously. It is an incredible,
ineffable state. "Samadhi” is concentration power.
"Not appearing simultaneously" refers to the infection
and appearance of one particular kind of samadhi. But sometimes you may
manifest a samadhi which include all the other samadhis within it and then they
“appearance simultaneously."
He ALWAYS USES THE WISDOM OF EMPTINESS to observe the causal
conditions of living beings.
He is fearless because the DRAGONS, GODS, AND GOOD SPIRITS and
the entire eight-fold division always watch out for him.
KINH VĂN:
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN THỊ DIỆU NGỮ TẠNG, KHẨU TRUNG ĐÀ LA NI ÂM
VÔ ĐOẠN TUYỆT CỐ.
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN THỊ THƯỜNG TRỤ TẠNG, TAM TAI ÁC KIẾP BẤT
NĂNG HOẠI CỐ.
SUTRA:
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF WONDERFUL SPEECH, FOR
THE SOUND OF THE DHARANI COMES FROM HIS MOUTH WITHOUT CEASE.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF THE PERMANENTLY
DWELLING, FOR THE THREE DISASTERS OF THE EVIL AEON CANNOT DESTROY HIM.
Commentary:
He is a TREASURY OF WONDERFUL SPEECH because he speaks an
inconceivable language; his mouth constant recites the Great Compassion Mantra,
without stopping.
I have met many Bhikshus who recited the Great Compassion
Mantra from morning to night until they were so false thinking at all, no
thought whatsoever. He is to be a treasury of the wonderful Dharma.
At the end of an AEON there are three DISASTERS those of flood,
fire, and wind. The floods, fires and typhoons we have now are minor compared
with those which will take place then. The first disaster will a flood which
will submerge everything up to and including the first Dhyana heaven. Next, a
fire will consume everything up to and including the second heaven, and then a
great wind will storm and destroy everything up to and including the third
Dayana heaven. So, not only people but even the gods in the heaven will have to
suffer these three disasters.
If you always recite the Great Compassion Mantra the disasters,
including those of war and disease, will not affect you. The merit and virtue
of reciting the Shurangama Mantra is inconceivable, and so is the merit and
virtue of reciting the Great Compassion Mantra. It has the power to reverse the
male and female principles, to overturn the rivers and upset the seas.
Once you have cultivated the Forty-two Hands to perfection,
you can make Mount Sumeru move house; you can move this world system to that
world system and that world system to this one, and the people within those
world systems won't have any idea that they have been moved. In this wonderful
or not? The people won't know that they have been moved from the west or south
several tens of thousands of miles. When you have cultivated to realization,
you will have the power to say, "This place is no good. I'm going to move
it over there, “and you can exchange this world for another. You can switch
world systems around and you don't even need a rocket. But you must have
cultivated to perfection, otherwise it won't work
No disasters will be able to harm the treasury that dwells permanently.
KINH VĂN:
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN THỊ GIẢI THOÁT TẠNG, THIÊN MA NGOẠI ĐẠO BẤT
NĂNG KÊ LƯU CỐ.
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN THỊ DƯỢC VƯƠNG TẠNG, THƯỜNG DĨ ĐÀ-LA-NI LIỆU
CHÚNG SANH BỆNH CỐ.
SUTRA:
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF LIBERATION, FOR HE
CANNOT BE HINDERED BY HEAVENLY DEMONS OR BY THOSE OF EXTERNALIST RELIGIONS.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF THE KING OF MEDICINE,
FOR HE CONSTANTLY USES THE DHARANI TO CURE THE ILLNESSES OF LIVING BEINGS.
Commentary:
HE IS A TREASURY OF LIBERATION, he has been set free. Neither
heavenly demons nor those of other religions can disturb or control him.
Sometimes, if you have a little talent, the demons may try to snatch you way
and make you join their retinue. If you can recite the mantra, however, they
will have no way to grab you.
He is a TREASURY OF THE KING OF MEDICINE. There are
eighty-four thousand kinds of illness in the world and the Great Compassion
Mantra can cure them all in order for it to be effective, you must recite sincerely.
If you don't ordinarily recite or when a sick person comes along you may recite
it ten times, with no effect at all. You must regularly cultivate the Great
Compassion Dharma and recite the mantra; then when it's time to use it to be
efficacious and powerful. You can't say, “I’ll until I need it and then recite,
"because, although may get an effect from it, it won't be a great one like
waiting until you are thirsty to dig a well. You may want the water right away,
but you’ll to a few days until the well is dug. If you think you dig it
immediately and have water to drink, you’re unreasonable. In the same way, you
must hold and recite the mantra ordinarily. Then when the time comes to it, you
will be like a treasury of the king of medicine. Every kind of medicine is
contained within the Great Compassion Mantra, and if you recite it, you will be
like a medicine king's treasury; all the pain of sickness will leave your body.
KINH VĂN:
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN THỊ THẦN THÔNG TẠNG, DU CHƯ PHẬT QUỐC ĐẮC TỰ
TẠI CỐ.
KỲ NHÂN CÔNG ĐỨC, TÁN BẤT KHẢ TẬN.
SUTRA:
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT HE IS A TREASURY OF SPIRITUAL
PENETRATIONS, FOR, HAVING OBTAINED COMFORT, HE ROAMS THROUGH THE BUDDHA LANDS.
PRAISE CANNOT EXHAUST THE MERIT AND VIRTUE OF ONE SUCH AS
THIS.
Commentary:
He has SPIRITUAL PENETRATIONS, and in Dhyana samadhi, whether
sitting or lying down, he can travel other Buddha countries. Should he think,
"I'd like take a look at the Land of Ultimate Bliss,” he need sit in
samadhi, and, with the mantra's aid, off help He ROAMS in the Buddhalands while
in Dhyana Samadhi, but it is his self-nature, and not his "stinking bag
skin" which goes to roam. If he took his stinking skin bag along, he wouldn't
be able to bring it back!
No matter how you PRAISE the one who recites Great Compassion
Mantra, his merit and virtue cannot be spoken of completely.
KINH VĂN:
THIỆN NAM TỬ! NHƯỢC PHỤC HỮU NHÂN, YẾM THẾ GIAN KHỔ, CẦU
TRƯỜNG SANH LẠC GIẢ, TẠI NHÀN TỊNH XỨ, THANH TỊNH KẾT GIỚI, CHÚ Y TRƯỚC, NHƯỢC
THỦY, NHƯỢC THỰC, NHƯỢC HƯƠNG, NHƯỢC DƯỢC, GIAI CHÚ NHẤT BÁCH BÁT BIẾN PHỤC,
TẤT ĐẮC TRƯỜNG MẠNG.
SUTRA:
GOOD MAN, IF, FURTHER, THERE IS SOMEONE WHO DETESTS THE
SUFFERING OF THIS WORLD AND SEEKS A LONG LIFE AND HAPPINESS, HE SHOULD TIE OFF
THE BOUNDARIES IN A PURE MANNER IN A CLEAN AND SECLUDED PLACE. HE SHOULD RECITE
THE MANTRA OVER HIS CLOTHING, WATER, FOOD, INCENSE, AND MEDICINE EACH 108 TIMES
BEFORE USING THEM, AND HE WILL CERTAINLY OBTAIN LONG LIFE.
Commentary:
The above passage speaks of those who seek a LONG LIFE--who
seek never to grow old or die. In non-Buddhist religions they speak of being
born in heaven and obtaining eternal life, but one does not take one's stinking
skin bag along. In Buddhism, one is
transformationally born in a lotus flower in the Land of Ultimate
Bliss, never again to fall to the status of the Second Vehicle or that of a
common person, and one also doesn't take one's stinking skin bag along.
However, if you do not want to give up your stinking skin bag and still wish to
be immortal, the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds has a method and he
can help you out.
GOOD MAN or GOOD WOMAN, you who hold the five precepts and
cultivate the ten good acts, if someone DETESTS THE SUFFERING OF THIS WORLD,
the misery of this world with its birth and death, death and birth, AND SEEKS A
LONG LIFE AND HAPPINESS, never to die or be born again, there is a method. How
is it done?
HE SHOULD TIE OFF THE BOUNDARIES IN A PURE MANNER IN A CLEAN
AND SECLUDED PLACE where very few people go, and recite the mantra 108 times
over his clothing, water, food, incense, and medicine before using them. Now,
does one put all the objects together and recite the mantra 108 times over them
or does one recite the mantra 108 times over each object separately?
Those who specialize in being lazy and in the transmission of
lazy dharmas will think, “I’ll put all in one place and recite the mantra 108
times and they will all be taken care of."
You can do it that way, but the effect will be lessened, it
will be dispersed. It may take more time to recite it 108 times over each
article, but the effect will be stronger. So, if you want just a small response
recite it over them together. But once you've finished reciting, what are you
going to do? If you're just to go to sleep, it would be much more wonderful to recite
the mantra more instead. If you recite over each article before you use it, you
will certainly obtain long life. How long? Nobody knows--endless life, as long you
want it to be, and if you decide you want to end you can go to rebirth any time
you choose. It’s very free; nobody is going to decide for you how long your life
will be.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC NĂNG NHƯ PHÁP KẾT GIỚI, Y PHÁP THỌ TRÌ, NHẤT THIẾT
THÀNH TỰU.
SUTRA:
IF ONE CAN TIE OFF THE BOUNDARIES IN ACCORD WITH DHARMA AND
RECEIVE AND HOLD THE MANTRA IN ACCORD WITH DHARMA, EVERYTHING WILL BE
ACCOMPLISHED.
Commentary:
If you can TIE OFF THE BOUNDARIES according to the method
given below and RECEIVE AND HOLD the Great Compassion Mantra in accord with the
Great Compassion Dharma and in accord with the Dharma of the cultivate of the
Forty-two Hands, then EVERYTHING WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED. How does one tie off the
boundaries?
KINH VĂN:
KỲ KẾT GIỚI PHÁP GIẢ: THỦ ĐAO, CHÚ NHỊ THẬP NHẤT BIẾN, HOẠCH
ĐỊA VI GIỚI; HOẶC THỦ TỊNH THỦY, CHÚ NHỊ THẬP NHẤT BIẾN, TÁN TRƯỚC TỨ PHƯƠNG VI
GIỚI; HOẶC THỦ BẠCH GIỚI TỬ, CHÚ NHỊ THẬP NHẤT BIẾN, TRỊCH TRƯỚC TỨ PHƯƠNG VI
GIỚI; HOẶC DĨ TƯỞNG ĐÁO XỨ VI GIỚI; HOẶC THỦ TỊNH KHÔI, CHÚ NHỊ THẬP NHẤT BIẾN
VI GIỚI; HOẶC CHÚ NGŨ SẮC TUYẾN NHỊ THẬP NHẤT BIẾN, VI NHIỄU TỨ BIÊN VI GIỚI,
GIAI ĐẮC.
SUTRA:
THE FOLLOWING IS THE METHOD FOR TYING OFF THE BOUNDARIES: ONE
MAY EITHER MANTRA A KNIFE TWENTY-ONE TIMES AND CARVE THE BOUNDARY IN THE EARTH,
OR MANTRA CLEAN WATER TWENTY-ONE TIMES AND SPRINKLE IT IN THE FOUR DIRECTIONS
AS THE BOUNDARY, OR MANTRA WHITE MUSTARD SEEDS TWENTY-ONE TIMES AND SCATTER
THEM IN THE FOUR DIRECTIONS AS THE BOUNDARY, OR EXTEND YOUR THOUGHT TO THE
PLACE OF THE BOUNDARY, OR MANTRA PURE ASHES TWENTY-ONE TIMES AND USE THEM TO
MAKE THE BOUNDARY, OR MANTRA FIVE COLORED THREADS TWENTY-ONE TIMES AND USE THEM
TO TIE FOUR BOUNDARIES; ANY OF THESE WILL DO.
Commentary:
The text says, "Get a knife.”
"What for?" you ask. “To kill somebody?"
No! To kill some dirt! Recite the mantra over it twenty-one
times and blow three puffs of air on it, as was previously explained; then go
outside and carve a line in the dirt wherever you want the boundary to be. No heavenly
demons, externalists, or other strange monsters, demons or ghosts, will be able
to get inside your territory. They may hang around on the outside, but they
aren't allowed inside. The wonderful power of the Great Compassion Mantra keeps
them all away.
MANTRA CLEAN WATER 21 TIMES… Nowadays most people use clean
water to tie off the boundaries because it is the most convenient. Whenever we
open a Dharma meeting, we recite the Great Compassion Mantra and take a cup of
clean water and a willow branch and sprinkle the area to clean it and to tie
off the boundaries. Wherever the water is sprinkled is the boundary.
One may also sprinkle WHITE MUSTARD SEEDS to form a boundary
or simply EXTEND one's THOUGHTS to make the boundary. Wherever you think, that
is the boundary. If you think, "I want the moon as my territory,” it will
be included in your boundaries. You can think as far as the sun or the four
great continents, think anywhere you want, and it falls within your Territory.
PURE ASHES are ashes taken from an incense burner. So, there is
nothing fixed about it. There are many ways to tie off the boundaries and
whichever one you want to use will do. All are okay. See how convenient it is?
If you don't have this thing, you can use that thing; if you don't have
five-colored threats, you can use ashes, and if you don't have ashes, you can use
pure water; if you don't have pure water, you can use white mustard seeds and
if you don't have white mustard seeds use a knife. Use whatever you like. You
can even "Everything within five hundred miles is my territory and it is.”
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC NĂNG NHƯ PHÁP THỌ TRÌ, TỰ NHIÊN KHẮC QUẢ.
NHƯỢC VĂN THỬ ĐÀ-LA-NI DANH TỰ GIẢ, THƯỢNG DIỆT VÔ LƯỢNG
KIẾP SANH TỬ TRỌNG TỘI, HÀ HUỐNG TỤNG TRÌ GIẢ? NHƯỢC ĐẮC THỬ THẦN CHÚ TỤNG GIẢ,
ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN DĨ TẰNG CÚNG DƯỜNG VÔ LƯỢNG CHƯ PHẬT, QUẢNG CHỦNG THIỆN CĂN. NHƯỢC NĂNG VI CHƯ CHÚNG SANH BẠT KỲ KHỔ NẠN, NHƯ PHÁP
TỤNG TRÌ GIẢ, ĐƯƠNG TRI KỲ NHÂN TỨC THỊ CỤ ĐẠI BI GIẢ, THÀNH PHẬT BẤT CỬU;
SUTRA:
IF ONE CAN RECEIVE AND HOLD THE MANTRA IN ACCORD WITH DHARMA,
ONE WILL SPONTANEOUSLY OBTAIN THE FRUIT.
ONE WHO SO MUCH AS HEARS THE NAME OF THIS DHARANI ERADICATES
LIMITLESS AEONS OF THE HEAVY OFFENSES OF BIRTH AND DEATH; HOW MUCH THE MORE SO
FOR ONE WHO RECITES AND HOLDS IT! YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT ONE WHO OBTAINS AND
RECITES THIS DHARANI HAS IN THE PAST ALREADY MADE OFFERINGS TO COUNTLESS
BUDDHAS, EXTENSIVELY PLANTING GOOD ROOTS. YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT ONE WHO CAN, FOR
THE SAKE OF RESCUING LIVING BEINGS FROM SUFFERING AND DIFFICULTY, RECITE AND
HOLD IT ACCORDING TO DHARMA HAS PERFECTED THE GREAT COMPASSION AND WILL SOON
REALIZE BUDDHAHOOD.
Commentary:
If you simply hear the name, "Thousand-handed
Thousand-eyed, Vast, Great, Perfect, Full, Unimpeded Great Compassion Heart,
Great Dharani," you will ERADICATES limitless aeons worth of the heavy which
karma binds you in birth and death.
"I've heard it plenty of times," you say, “I have
eradicated limitless aeons of birth and death karma.”
Perhaps you have, but you have also continued create limitless
aeons of birth and death karma order to eradicate it, you must not create more,
wipe it out and then make some more, it is just you hadn't wiped it out. Why?
Because you are not cultivating according to the Dharma. If you were, all
offenses would be completely eradicated.
HOW MUCH THE MORE SO FOR ONE WHO RECITES AND HOLDS IT! If
hearing the name eradicates your offenses, how much the more so will reciting
the mantra itself.
ONE WHO OBTAINS AND RECITES THIS DHARANI HAS IN THE PAST
ALREADY MADE OFFERINGS TO COUNTLESS BUDDHAS. All of you should know that you,
too, have made offerings to countless Buddhas of the past, and so you are able to
meet the Great Compassion Mantra. If you had not made such offerings, you might
hear the mantra, but it wouldn't stay; it would go right in one ear and out the
other. By making offerings to countless Buddhas of the past, one EXTENSIVELY
PLANTS GOOD ROOTS.
… FOR THE SAKE OF RESCUING LIVING BEINGS… Recite the mantra
and contemplate that you are saving beings from their suffering and difficulty.
But you must recite according to the Great Compassion Dharma; this is most
important. If you aren't in accord with the Dharma, your recitation is of no
use.
… HAS PERFECTED THE GREAT COMPASSION AND WILL SOON REALIZE
BUDDHAHOOD. You should know that one who recites the mantra is complete with
the Great Compassion. He is just a transformation of the Bodhisattva Who Regards
the World's Sounds, the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion. Having perfected the
Great Compassion Heart, he will soon become a Buddha.
KINH VĂN:
SỞ KIẾN CHÚNG SANH, GIAI TẤT VI TỤNG, LINH BỈ NHĨ VĂN, DỮ TÁC
BỒ-ĐỀ NHÂN, THỊ NHÂN CÔNG ĐỨC VÔ LƯỢNG VÔ BIÊN, TÁN BẤT KHẢ TẬN.
SUTRA:
HE RECITES THE MANTRA FOR ALL THE
LIVING BEINGS HE SEES, CAUSING IT TO PASS BY THEIR EAR AND BECOME A CAUSE FOR
THE REALIZATION OF BODHI. HIS MERIT AND VIRTUE IS LIMITLESS AND BOUNDLESS.
PRAISE CANNOT EXHAUST IT.
Commentary:
He RECITES THE MANTRA and causes all the living beings he sees
to hear the mantra and to hear the name of the mantra, thus planting in them a
CAUSE FOR THE future REALIZATION OF BODHI, enlightenment. Because they hear the
mantra and its name, they can plant the Causes which will result in their
enlightenment in the distant future.
This person's MERIT AND VIRTUE is limitless and boundless;
there is no way I can PRAISE it thorough.
KINH VĂN:
NHƯỢC NĂNG TINH THÀNH DỤNG TÂM, THÂN TRÌ
TRAI GIỚI, VI NHẤT THIẾT CHÚNG SANH SÁM HỐI TIÊN NGHIỆP CHI TỘI, DIỆC TỰ SÁM TẠ
VÔ LƯỢNG KIẾP LAI CHỦNG CHỦNG ÁC NGHIỆP, KHẨU TRUNG “CẤP CẤP” [馺馺] TỤNG THỬ ĐÀ LA
NI, THANH THANH BẤT TUYỆT GIẢ, TỨ SA MÔN QUẢ, THỬ SANH TỨC CHỨNG.
KỲ LỢI CĂN HỮU HUỆ QUÁN PHƯƠNG TIỆN GIẢ, THẬP ĐỊA QUẢ VỊ, KHẮC HOẠCH BẤT NAN;
HÀ HUỐNG THẾ GIAN TIỂU TIỂU PHÚC BÁO? SỞ HỮU CẦU NGUYỆN, VÔ BẤT QUẢ TOẠI GIẢ
DÃ!”
SUTRA:
IF YOU CAN APPLY YOUR MIND WITH PURE SINCERITY, MAINTAIN VEGETARIANISM AND THE
PRECEPTS, AND REPENT AND REFORM ALL PAST OFFENSES ON BEHALF OF LIVING BEINGS;
IF YOU CAN REPENT AND CONFESS YOUR OWN VARIOUS EVIL ACTS COMMITTED THROUGHOUT
COUNTLESS AEON; AND IF YOU CAN RECITE THE DHARANI LIKE “CHI, CHI,” WITHOUT A
SINGLE SOUND BEING CUT OFF, THEN YOU MAY CERTIFY TO THE FOUR FRUITS OF A
SHRAMANA IN THIS VERY LIFE.
YOU WILL BE ENDOWED WITH A KEEN DISPOSITION, WISE CONTEMPLATIONS, AND
EXPEDIENT MEANS. YOU WILL OBTAIN THE STATUS OF THE TEN GROUNDS WITHOUT
DIFFICULTLY. EVEN MORE WILL YOU BE REMARDED WITH SMALL WORLDLY BLESSINGS. YOU
WILL OBTAIN EVERYTHING YOU SEEK.
Commentary:
PURE means concentrated, focused. MAINTAINING refers to doing
no evil, and VEGETARIANISM means no eating meat. You should hold the moral code
purely REPENT AND REFORM OF ALL PAST OFFENSES ON BEHAL OF LIVING BEINGS, for all the evil karma they have done in the past
lives.
This work is not done for your own benefit. All though it is
not done for your own benefit, it actual is done for your own benefit. You
yourself are a living being, and so to repent and reform for living is to do so
for yourself. So it says, “REPENT AND CONFESS YOUR OWN VARIOUS EVIL ACTS…”
The evil karma living beings is created
from beginingless time and limitless and boundless.
CHI, CHI represents the sound of a horse going the road. Your
recitation should continue this way, sentence after sentence, without stopping,
like the sound of a horse trotting down the road. You can't recite a few lines
and then strike up a false thought and quit. You must continue to recite and
turn the thoughts of your mind to one.
The FOUR FRUITS OF A SHRAMANA are the first, second, third,
and fourth stages of Arhatship. You may certify to them in this present life,
but you must recite with a sincere heart.
One with a KEEN DISPOSITION is intelligent. Having WISE
CONTEMPLATIONS means he is able to use wisdom to observe and understand things
and to employ all manner of expedient devices. Such a one will OBTAIN THE
STATUS OF THE TEN GROUNDS WITHOUT DIFFICULTY. The Ten Grounds are levels
attained by Bodhisattvas, and although it is basically very difficult to attain
to them, if you recite the Great Compassion Mantra, you may attain them with
ease.
EVEN MORE WILL YOU BE REWARDED WITH SMALL WORLDLY BLESSINGS.
What are "small worldly blessings?" You may be crowned king or
elected President, or you may be very wealthy. These are just small
recompenses, nothing spectacular.
YOU WILL OBTAIN EVERYTHING YOU SEEK. There is nothing that
will not accord with your heart's desire. However--don't you remember?--you
must cast out all doubts. If you give rise to the slightest doubt, the result
will not follow in accord. If you have even a hair's breadth of doubt, you will
not get your wish. To arrive at your goal, you must be true. As I often say:
If you can't give up your doubts,
you can't give rise to faith;
If you can't give up confusion,
you won't obtain understanding;
If you can't give up the deviant,
you can't return to the proper;
If you can't give up, the false,
you won't realize the truth;
If you can't let go at death,
you won't end future birth.
In order to be certain to obtain the result you seek; you must
not have even the slightest trace of doubt. If you have even the tiniest trace
of doubt, you won't succeed.
ẨN TU NGẪU VỊNH
BÀI SỐ 25
Ẩn tu lại thấy ở am mây
LÂU TRƯỢNG Tay cầm kiếm quỷ thần
Mật phái Lạt-ma y mão lạ
Quê xưa trúc tạng tợ xa gần.
NHƯ Ý : LÂU-TRƯỢNG nói cho đủ là ĐỘC LÂU-TRƯỢNG , một pháp khí của Phật-giáo, chót gậy có chạm hình đầu lâu dùng để sai khiến, hàng phục quỷ thần.
Bạch cốt hoàn giao thổ vị mai
Hành nhân tu pháp thiết cung đài
Luyện thành Quỷ-thần tuân hiệu lệnh
Độc lâu trượng thủ bi nguyện hoài.
Độc-Lâu-Trượng Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
Thứ Hai Mươi Tám
Y Hê Di Hê [36]
Án-- độ nẳng, phạ nhựt-ra xá.
Kinh nói rằng: “Nếu muốn sai khiến tất cả Quỷ-thần, nên cầu nơi Tay cầm
cây Gậy-Đầu-Lâu.”
Thần-chú rằng: Y Hê Di Hê [36]
Chơn-ngôn rằng: Án-- độ nẳng, phạ nhựt-ra xá.
Kệ tụng:
Bạch cốt hoàn giao thổ vị mai
Hành nhân tu pháp thiết cung đài
Luyện thành Quỷ-thần tuân hiệu lệnh
Độc lâu trượng thủ bi nguyện hoài.
Xương khô bỏ trên đất lâu đời không ai chôn cất,
Người tu lập một cái bàn thờ cúng dường QỦY THẦN trước TƯỢNG THIÊN NHÃN.
Bảy ngày chí tâm tụng THỦ NHÃN, Qủy-thần sẽ hiện thân theo lệnh triệu.
Phát BỒ-ĐỀ-TÂM, tu theo người trì ĐỘC LÂU-TRƯỢNG THỦ NHÃN ẤN PHÁP NẦY.
Lời bàn:
Thờ cúng QỦY THẦN là TÂM ĐẠI-BI của Bồ-tát vì muốn cứu độ họ, còn nương theo PHẬT, PHÁP và TĂNG để tu học là một chuyện khác. Cho nên, muốn thờ thì phải để trước TƯỢNG của BỒ-TÁT QUÁN-THẾ-ÂM có THIÊN THỦ THIÊN NHÃN và CHÍ TÂM TỤNG THỦ NHÃN NẦY TRONG 7 NGÀY LIÊN TỤC, để họ nương theo hạnh của Bồ-tát mà tu học. Cũng như các CHÙA THỜ VONG LINH để trước TƯỢNG PHẬT hoặc TƯỢNG BỒ-TÁT vậy.
Thật ra, ngay cả PHẬT, BỒ-TÁT CHÚNG TA CŨNG KHÔNG BỊ LỆ THUỘC, VÌ NẾU BỊ LỆ THUỘC THÌ KHÔNG THỂ ĐẠT ĐƯỢC CHƠN LÝ , KHÔNG THỂ NÀO THÀNH PHẬT và BỒ TÁT, NÓI CHI LÀ LỆ THUỘC QỦY THẦN. KINH KIM CANG nói :CHÁNH PHÁP CÒN XẢ HÀ HUỐNG PHI PHÁP ?
KINH VĂN:
Này thiện nam tử! Nếu người nào muốn sai khiến quỷ, thì tìm một chiếc xương sọ của kẻ qua đời, đem về rửa sạch. Kế đó lập đàn tràng để chiếc xương ấy trước tượng Thiên Nhãn, chí tâm tụng chú, mỗi ngày đều dùng hương hoa, cùng các thứ ăn uống cúng tế vong linh, đúng bảy ngày như thế, quỷ sẽ hiện thân, tùy theo mạng lịnh của người ấy sai bảo.
Ngày xưa, tìm một chiếc xương sọ của kẻ qua đời đã lâu rất là dẽ dàng, chỉ cần tới nơi rừng vắng hay giữa đường, tìm một cái mà mình thích đem về rửa sạch là được, không có vấn đề gì phải nói, nên BỒ-TÁT QUÁN-THẾ-ÂM DẠY CÁCH NÀY TRONG KINH ĐẠI BI TÂM ĐÀ-RA-NI.
TRONG “KINH ĐẠI BÁO PHỤ MẪU TRỌNG ÂN” có nói vấn đề này như sau:
Bây giờ, Phật lại lên đường
Cùng hàng đại chúng Nam Phương tiến hành
Ðến giữa đường, rành rành mắt thấy
Núi xương khô bỏ đấy lâu đời
Nhưng, nếu ở trong thời đại ngày nay, mà tìm một cái xương sọ của người đã qua đời thì rất khó, lại trái với văn hóa đạo đức hiện hành, vì họ muốn giữ cho được toàn thân, NÊN THƯỜNG ĐƯỢC CHÔN CẤT TỬ TẾ, nếu Qúy-vị lén lấy đầu của người thân họ, họ sẽ lấy đầu của Qúy-vị lại, hoặc kiện Qúy-vị ra pháp luật, Qúy-vị sẽ bị tù tội.
Phật tử tin rằng, nếu Bồ tát ở trong thời này sẽ không dạy chúng ta tu theo cách này, mà sẽ tìm một cách khác để chúng ta tu thủ nhãn này.
Đây là bổn nguyện của Bồ tát, vì muốn cứu độ tất cả chúng sanh sẽ thành PHẬT ĐẠO, đặc biệt là qủy, thần. Nhưng muốn độ qủy, thần thì phải cùng loại với họ thì mới độ được. Đây cũng có thể gọi là hoá thân của BỒ TÁT QUÁN THẾ ÂM để dạy tất cả qủy thần khác tu đạo.
Tại sao? Vì Bồ-tát do trì Chú đại bi và 42 thủ nhãn mà thành CHÁNH PHÁP MINH NHƯ LAI. Cho nên, Qủy thần NGHE TRÌ “Độc-Lâu-Trượng Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp” TRONG 7 NGÀY LIÊN TỤC, thì sẽ thành “PHẬT ĐẠO” như ngài không khác.
Có lẽ, đây là chổ thần diệu nhất TRONG 42 THỦ NHÃN của KINH ĐẠI BI TÂM ĐÀ-RA-NI, là có thể Ngăn chặn tất cả việc ác không cho thành tựu, còn tất cả thiện căn công đức thì sớm được thành tựu viên mãn, lại làm cho thân tâm của QỦY THẦN thường an vui thanh tịnh.
KINH VĂN:
Tụng trì thần chú Đại Bi (Y Hê Di Hê…) tất cả sự mong cầu trong đời hiện tại, nếu không được vừa ý, thì chú này không được gọi là Đại Bi tâm đà ra ni, duy trừ cầu những việc bất thiện, trừ kẻ tâm không chí thành.
Lại nữa, trong KINH LĂNG NGHIÊM dạy, không cần lập đàn thờ cúng, chỉ trì CHÚ LĂNG NGHIÊM, thì công đức cũng như người lập đàn thờ cúng.
KINH VĂN:
Dù có mặc y phục cũ rách không sạch, thì việc đi, việc đứng thảy đồng như thanh tịnh; dù chẳng lập đàn, chẳng vào đạo tràng, cũng chẳng hành đạo mà trì tụng chú này, thì công đức cũng như vào đàn, hành đạo, chẳng có khác gì.
Giảng giải:
Dù có mặc y phục cũ rách không sạch, thì việc đi, việc đứng. Trong đoạn trước, nói về đạo tràng, Đức Phật có dạy phải mặc y mới, nhưng ở đây Ngài lại bảo điều đó không cần thiết. Nếu không có y mới thì cứ mặc y cũ. Khi quý vị thực hành tu tập trong suốt ba tuần, quý vị cũng sẽ trở nên trong sạch. Bởi vì năng lực thần chú sẽ làm cho y phục mới hoặc cũ đều được trong sạch. Quý vị sẽ ngạc nhiên – vậy tại sao Phật lại bảo phải mặc y mới khi vào đàn.
Thực sự, chúng ta mặc y mới là thể hiện lòng tôn kính, sự tôn kính tuyệt đối và rất đỗi trong sạch. Dù chẳng lập đàn, chẳng vào đạo tràng. Quý vị không cần thiết phải vào đạo tràng, việc tu tập có thể bất kỳ nơi đâu, bất kỳ lúc nào.
Cho dù cũng chẳng hành đạo, ngay cả không tu dưỡng, mà trì tụng chú này, đấy là tất cả những gì mọi người có thể tu tập, thì công đức cũng như vào đàn, hành đạo, chẳng có khác gì. Nếu quý vị tụng chú Lăng Nghiêm thì công đức của quý vị chẳng khác gì vào đàn tràng hành đạo vậy. Thực sự, cái đức của thần chú này là hết sức phi thường.
(KINH LĂNG NGHIÊM HT. TUYÊN HÓA lược giảng)
Tóm lại, Qúy-vị chỉ trì tụng ĐỘC-LÂU-TRƯỢNG THỦ NHÃN ẤN PHÁP này mà thôi, trong vòng 7 ngày trước TƯỢNG CỦA BỒ-TÁT QUÁN-THẾ-ÂM CÓ NGÀN TAY NGÀN MẮT như sau:-
Nam-mô Ðại-bi Quán-Thế-Âm Bồ-tát
(3 lần)
Thiên-Thủ Thiên-Nhãn Quán-Thế-Âm Bồ-Tát Quảng-Ðại
Viên-Mãn Vô Ngại Ðại-Bi Tâm Ðà-Ra-Ni
(1 lần)
Độc-Lâu-Trượng Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
Thứ Hai Mươi Tám
(1 lần)
Y Hê Di Hê [36]
Án --độ nẳng, phạ nhựt-ra xá.
(108 lần)
Rồi trong 1 ngày đêm BẤT CỨ LÚC NÀO Ở ĐÂU CÓ THỂ, LIỀN NHIẾP TÂM TỤNG THỦ NHÃN NẦY , liên tục như vậy trong vòng 7 ngày, để cầu mau sớm thành tựu được ĐỘC-LÂU-TRƯỢNG THỦ NHÃN ẤN PHÁP, nếu thành tựu thì QỦY-THẦN SẼ HIỆN THÂN, nên BẤT CỨ TÂM NGUYỆN GÌ CHƯA ĐƯỢC THÀNH TỰU, QỦY-THẦN SẼ GIÚP CHO QÚY-VỊ ĐƯỢC THÀNH TỰU VIÊN MÃN.
SỰ THẬT, THÌ QỦY THẦN TRONG CHÚ LĂNG NGHIÊM VÀ CHÚ ĐẠI BI ĐỀU LÀ PHẬT, BỒ TÁT HÓA HIỆN RA, ĐỂ CỨU ĐỘ QỦY THẦN PHÁT BỒ-ĐỀ TÂM, TU THÀNH PHẬT ĐẠO.
ĐÂY MỚI THẬT LÀ TÂM BÌNH-ĐẲNG CỨU KHỔ BAN VUI CỦA PHẬT, BỒ-TÁT VẬY.
36. Y hê y hê
Y hê y hê là Độc lâu trượng ấn thủ nhãn ấn pháp. Hán dịch là “thuận giáo”.
Nghĩa là một khi quí vị nhờ ai làm việc gì đó, họ đều ưng thuận. Khi quí vị dùng chánh pháp để giáo hoá, họ đều vâng lời. Câu chú này còn dịch là “tâm đáo”. Nghĩa là trong tâm hành giả ước nguyện điều gì, nhờ năng lực của chú này đều được thành tựu.
Câu chú này khiến cho Ma – hê – thủ – la vương, là một Thiên ma ngoại đạo thường cho rằng mình là vĩ đại nhất, cũng phải cung kính chắp tay đến nghe lời chỉ giáo khi nghe có người trị tụng thần chú này, không dám trái nghịch.
Thế nên khi quí vị trì niệm câu Y hê Y hê, thì Ma – hê – thủ – la vương liền đến, bất kỳ tâm nguyện của hành giả như thế nào, vị này liền thi hành ngay, đáp ứng đúng như sở nguyện của người trì chú.
ĐẠI BI CHÚ
Tác giả: Hòa thượng Tuyên Hóa
Bản dịch của THÍCH NHUẬN CHÂU
CÚ GIẢI
(Giảng giải từng câu)
36) Y Hê Di Hê
Theo trong KINH ĐẠI-BI-TÂM ĐÀ-RA-NI “XUẤT TƯỢNG” nói rằng : “Khi Qúi vị trì tụng câu chú Y Hê Di Hê, thì “NGÀI MA-HÊ-THỦ-LA THIÊN-VƯƠNG” sẽ “XUẤT HIỆN”. Đây là đấng đã thành tựu “ĐỘC-LÂU-TRƯỢNG THỦ NHÃN ẤN PHÁP.
Cho nên, có khả năng biết rõ “CĂN TÁNH” CỦA QÚI VỊ, MÀ LẦN LƯỢC CHỈ BÀY “GIÁO PHÁP”, ĐƯA QÚI VỊ VÀO CẢNH GIỚI “NIẾT-BÀN THƯỜNG TRỤ” NHƯ CHƯ PHẬT VẬY.
NGÀI MA-HÊ-THỦ-LA THIÊN-VƯƠNG
( Thường TRÌ ĐỘC-LÂU-TRƯỢNG THỦ NHÃN ẤN PHÁP, để ĐƯA QÚI VỊ VÀO CẢNH GIỚI “NIẾT-BÀN THƯỜNG TRỤ” NHƯ CHƯ PHẬT VẬY.
Và ngược lại nếu “QÚI VỊ” Thường TRÌ ĐỘC-LÂU-TRƯỢNG THỦ NHÃN ẤN PHÁP, thì Qúi vị là “HÓA THÂN” của NGÀI MA-HÊ-THỦ-LA THIÊN-VƯƠNG, nghĩa là cũng đạt được như Ngài vậy.)
Còn theo “KỆ TỤNG” thì khi TRÌ TỤNG ĐỘC-LÂU-TRƯỢNG THỦ NHÃN ẤN PHÁP, thì NGÀI MA-HÊ-THỦ-LA THIÊN-VƯƠNG sẽ “XUẤT HIỆN” với HÌNH TƯỚNG vừa “HUNG BẠO” vừa “UY MÃNH”, để hàng phục tất cả “TÀ MA VỌNG LƯỢNG”.
NGÀI LẠI PHÁT NGUYỆN ĐỘ TẤT CẢ CHÚNG SANH ĐỀU ĐƯỢC LÊN BỜ “GIẢI THOÁT AN VUI”, với “THỜI-GIAN” KHÔNG CÙNG TẬN cũng như BỒ TÁT PHỔ HIỀN trong KINH HOA NGHIÊM vậy.
Kệ tụng :
“MA-HÊ-THỦ-LA” mãnh hựu hung
Thưởng thiện phạt ác kiến kỳ công
Phổ độ quần mê đăng bỉ ngạn
Hóa lợi hữu tình vô thủy chung
KINH ĐẠI-BI-TÂM ĐÀ-RA-NI “XUẤT TƯỢNG”
HT. THIỀN-TÂM Dịch ra VIỆT-VĂN
KỆ TỤNG
HT. TUYÊN-HÓA Kệ-tụng
KINH VĂN:
Này thiện nam tử! Nếu người nào muốn sai
khiến quỷ, thì tìm một chiếc xương sọ của kẻ qua đời, đem về rửa sạch. Kế
đó lập đàn tràng để chiếc xương ấy trước tượng Thiên
Nhãn, chí tâm tụng chú, mỗi ngày đều dùng hương hoa, cùng các thứ ăn
uống cúng tế vong linh, đúng 7 ngày như thế, quỷ sẽ hiện
thân, tùy theo mạng lịnh của người ấy sai bảo.
SUTRA:
IF YOU WISH TO COMMAND GHOSTS, WASH A WILD BONE CLEAN, ERECT A
PLATFORM BEFORE A THOUSAND-EYED IMAGE AND MAKE OFFERINGS OF MANY KINDS OF
INCENSE, FLOWERS, FOOD, AND DRINK, DO THIS DAILY, AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY THE
BODY WILL CERTAINLY APPEAR TO OBEY YOUR COMMANDS.
Commentary:
Yesterday, one of you remarked that this passage is very strange.
Actually, it's not strange at all. It's a very common occurrence. But when
people don’t understand the principles and the dharmas involved think they are
strange.
For example, when the astronauts finally success in going to
the moon and came back with some rocks, everyone thought that they were very
strange, as though they were different from the rocks on Earth. Basically,
Earth rocks and moon rocks are more or less the same. Moon rocks are not as
valuable as diamond there's nothing particularly special about them. But
although they are just rocks, several hundreds of millions of dollars have been
spent to obtain them everyone thinks they are extremely precious. In the same
way, those who do not understand the principle and the origins of the dharmas
mentioned above thinks they are strange, when actually they are not apart the
self-nature.
We shall now discuss commanding ghosts and spirits. Among the ancients,
there were many who could command ghosts and spirits, but today few are able to
do so and those who can are looked upon as peculiar, many people cultivate
these dharmas or believe in it. Therefore today not many can command ghosts.
If you can command a ghost or spirit, you can order him to do
your work. You can summon a ghost say, "Sweep the floor, wipe off the
table, and cook something to eat. Then, do the shopping!"
In the Ming dynasty there was a very intelligent man named Chi
Hsiao-t'ang. When he competed for top position in the Imperial Examinations,
his literary skill proved to be so high that his examiner became jealous and
flunked him. Later, he left the home-life and had five ghosts accompany him and
do his work. Originally, the five ghosts were demons, but they couldn't defeat Chi
Hsiao-t'ang and so they took refuge with him and studied his Dharma tricks.
They had to obey his every command and sometimes he would send them several
thousands of miles away to spy and bring back news. Our modern spies can be
seen, but the ghosts were invisible and so they could go anywhere on their
missions. Chi Hsiao-t’ang accomplished this through his perfect cultivation of
the Great Compassion Dharma.
The text says, IF YOU WISH TO COMMAND GHOSTS--the word
"ghosts" includes the word "spirits"--WASH A WILD BONE
CLEAN. What is a wild bone? A wild bone is one taken from a deserted,
unprotected grave where no one makes offerings. In China, the family burial
plots are watched over and guarded. However, one who dies without heirs may be
buried in an out-of-the-way place, with no one to watch over the grave or to
make offerings to the departed. You should take a piece of bone from any part
of the corpse of one buried in such an unprotected grave and wash it thoroughly
so that no shreds of flesh cling to it and it is clean, dry, and doesn't stink.
Then erect a PLATFORM, an area where people cannot casually
enter and leave, and place a thousand-eyed, thousand-handed image of the
Bodhisattva Who Regards the Sounds of the World at its head. Make many
OFFERINGS to the bone, not the image of the Bodhisattva Make offerings of
incense and flowers, food and drink. Do this for seven days and on the seventh
day the soul of the ghost will return to the bone, and it will appear to
receive your offerings. It may come during the day or it may come at night, but
when you see it, don't be afraid and say, "Oh! A ghost has come!"
After all, you made offerings to it and asked it to come. If, when it finally
shows up, you're afraid, it will see that you are not in control and will take
over. "What did you call me for?" it will say. "Very well,
follow me." Then you will be in its power. But if you are not afraid, you
can tell it to do whatever you wish. At this time, whatever you do, don't
forget to recite the Great Compassion Mantra; if you forget, the ghost will
become unreasonable and angry.
TO OBEY YOUR COMMANDS means that you can say, "Move the
mountain in front of us behind us," and it will.
The wild bone must come from a deserted grave. You have to
remove it somewhat surreptitiously and, although it is a dharma of cultivation,
there is still a certain amount of "unauthorized removal of bones"
involved.
KINH VĂN:
Như hành nhơn muốn sai khiến Tứ
Thiên Vương, thì tụng chú này vào gỗ đàn hương rồi đốt lên,
sẽ thấy hiệu quả. Sở dĩ được như thế cũng là do nguyện
lực đại từ bi của Quán Thế Âm Bồ Tát sâu nặng, lại cũng
do oai thần rộng lớn của đà ra ni này.
SUTRA:
IF YOU WISH TO COMMAND THE FOUR HEAVENLY KINGS, MANTRA
SANDALWOOD INCENSE AND BURN IT. THE ABILITY TO COMMAND THEM ARISES THROUGH THE
INTENSITY OF THE BODHISATTVA'S GREAT COMPASSIONATE VOW POWER AND THROUGH THE
VAST, GREAT, AWESOME POWER OF THE DHARANI.
Commentary:
If you would rather have the FOUR HEAVENLY KINGS, as your servants, it can be arranged.
Recite the Great Compassion Mantra 108 times and the Sunlight and Moonlight
Dharanis each 108 times. If you simply recite the Great Compassion Mantra, it
won't work. After reciting the mantras over the sandalwood incense, burn it. It
doesn't say in the text whether or not the Four Heavenly Kings will appear in
person, but if you are sincere, then if you say the mantras once and they are
appear, you should do it again. Recite the mantras burn the incense over and
over again every day. Therefore, at the end of seven days, the Four Heavenly
Kings manifest.
At Nan Hua Monastery, the Sixth Patriarch opened his sitting
cloth and it covered the four borders of Ts’ao Hsi, that is, everything within
ten miles of where they stood. The Four Heavenly Kings then managed and stood
on each of the four corners of the cloth. When the wealthy landowner Ch'en
Ya-hsien saw this, he gave his land to the Triple Jewel. This happened because
the Bodhisattva the Sixth Patriarch regularly cultivated the Great Compassion
Dharma. When he wants to employ the Four Heavenly Kings, he said. "You
should come and stand guard in the four directions and they did. They were so
majestic and imposing the Ch'en Ya-hsien said, "I now know that the High
Master spiritual powers are vast and great." The Sixth Patriarch had that
accomplishment because of his reciting of the Great Compassion Mantra and
cultivation of the Great Compassion Dharma.
THE ABILITY TO COMMAND THEM ARISES THROUGH THE INTENSITY OF THE BODHISATTVA'S GREAT COMPASSIONATE VOW POWER AND THROUGH THE VAST, GREAT, AWESOME POWER OF THE DHARANI. The Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds has vowed that those who recite and maintain the Great Compassion Mantra will obtain everything they seek. This is a profound and important vow. The power of commanding the Four Kings is also brought about through the greatly efficacious response of the awesome spirit of the Great Compassion Spiritual Mantra. You just can't possibly know how wonderful that response is.
KINH VĂN:
PHẬT CÁO A-NAN: “NHƯỢC HỮU QUỐC ĐỘ, TAI NẠN KHỞI THỜI,
THỊ ĐỘ QUỐC VƯƠNG, NHƯỢC DĨ CHÁNH PHÁP TRỊ QUỐC, KHOAN TÚNG NHÂN VẬT, BẤT UỔNG
CHÚNG SANH, XÁ CHƯ HỮU QUÁ, THẤT NHẬT THẤT DẠ, THÂN TÂM TINH TẤN, TỤNG TRÌ NHƯ
THỊ ĐẠI BI TÂM ĐÀ-LA-NI THẦN CHÚ, LINH BỈ QUỐC ĐỘ, NHẤT THIẾT TAI NẠN TẤT GIAI
TRỪ DIỆT, NGŨ CỐC PHONG ĐĂNG, VẠN TÁNH AN LẠC.
SUTRA:
THE BUDDHA TOLD ANANDA, IF, IN A TIME
OF DISASTER OR DIFFICULTY, THE KING OF A NATION GOVERNS THE COUNTRY BY MEANS OF
THE ORTHODOX DHARMA, IS LIBERAL TOWARD PEOPLE AND ANIMALS, DOES NOT OPPRESS
LIVING BEINGS, AND PARDONS THOSE WITH OFFENSES; AND IF, FOR SEVEN DAYS AND NIGHTS,
HE RECITES AND HOLDS THE GREAT COMPASSION HEART DHARANI, THE SPIRITUAL MANTRA,
WITH BODILY AND MENTAL VIGOR, THEN ALL DISASTERS AND DIFFICULTIES IN THAT
COUNTRY WILL BE WIPED AWAY. THE FIVE GRAINS WILL BEAR AN ABUNDANT HARVEST, AND
THE POPULATION WILL BE AT PEACE.
Commentary:
Shakyamuni Buddha told the Venerable One Ananda-- Ananda's
name means "rejoicing” and he was the second patriarch in India, the first
being Mahakashyapa— “IF, IN A TIME OF DISASTER OR DIFFICULTY…" There are
three disasters--water, fire, and wind--and eight difficulties, eight
situations in which it is difficult to see the Buddha or hear the Dharma. The
first three are the three evil destinies of rebirth--in the hells, as a hungry
ghost, and as an animal. The other five difficulties are to be born in
Uttarakuru, the Northern Continent, where one may enjoy blessings, but will not
meet the Buddha; to be born in a heaven where one has long lifespan; to be born
blind, deaf, or dumb; to be born with great worldly wisdom and cleverness; and
to be born before or after the time of the Buddha's presence in the world.
Actually, there aren't just eight difficulties there are many,
many difficulties. The Chinese word for difficulty is often combined with word the which means to rob or plunder. It
also means fatal, calamity, and in Buddhism is used to represent the Sanskrit
word kalpa, which means "aeon." The word is composed of
the world "to go," and the
word "a blade." If you run
into a blade, you get Killed. In the same way, people find it very difficult to
get through a kalpa. It's like trying to get past blade without getting
murdered. So difficulties can said to be those things which are "hard to
get through”.
If there are disasters such as floods, fires, storm winds,
pestilence, or earthquakes, the king should govern his country BY MEANS OF THE
ORTHODOX DHARMA. That is should believe in, respect, and worship the Triple,
propagate the Buddhadharma, keep the five precepts cultivate the ten good acts,
and practice the Buddhism Conduct. LIBERAL means to refrain from confining people
in Jails or animals in cages. NOT OPPRESSING means "not killing.” Thoughts
of killing should be complete cut off. PARDONING means, setting free those who
have commited offenses.
If the king can do these things and also recite the Great
Compassion Mantra, the Dharma-door which unites and holds, if he can recite
vigorously for a week, day and night, then all disasters and difficult in his
country, big or small, the three disasters, the eight difficulties, or the nine
or eleven difficulties for that matter, will all be wiped away.
Not only that, but the FIVE GRAINS WILL BEAR AN ABUNDANT
HARVEST. There will be plenty of wheat, barley, rice, millet, and beans, and
everything else. The citizens will be “at peace" because they will not fear
disasters or difficulties. Having enough food and clothing to keep them full
and warm, they will be at ease.
KINH VĂN:
HỰU NHƯỢC VI Ư THA QUỐC OÁN
ĐỊCH, SÁC LAI XÂM NHIỄU, BÁ TÁNH BẤT AN, ĐẠI THẦN MƯU PHẢN, DỊCH KHÍ LƯU HÀNH,
THỦY HẠN BẤT ĐIỀU, NHẬT NGUYỆT THẤT ĐỘ, NHƯ THỊ CHỦNG CHỦNG TAI NẠN KHỞI THỜI,
ĐƯƠNG TẠO THIÊN NHÃN ĐẠI BI TÂM TƯỢNG, DIỆN HƯỚNG TÂY PHƯƠNG, DĨ CHỦNG CHỦNG
HƯƠNG HOA, TRÀNG PHAN BẢO CÁI, HOẶC BÁCH VỊ ẨM THỰC, CHÍ TÂM CÚNG DƯỜNG...
KỲ VƯƠNG HỰU NĂNG THẤT NHẬT THẤT DẠ, THÂN TÂM TINH TẤN, TỤNG TRÌ NHƯ THỊ
ĐÀ-LA-NI THẦN DIỆU CHƯƠNG CÚ, NGOẠI QUỐC OÁN ĐỊCH, TỨC TỰ HÀNG PHỤC, CÁC HOÀN
CHÍNH TRỊ, BẤT TƯƠNG NHIỄU NÃO, QUỐC THỔ TƯƠNG THÔNG, TỪ TÂM TƯƠNG HƯỚNG, VƯƠNG
TỬ BÁCH QUAN, GIAI HÀNH TRUNG XÍCH, PHI HẬU THỂ NỮ, HIẾU KÍNH HƯỚNG VƯƠNG, CHƯ
LONG QUỶ THẦN, ỦNG HỘ KỲ QUỐC, VŨ TRẠCH THUẬN THỜI, QUẢ THỰC PHONG NHIÊU, NHÂN
DÂN HOAN LẠC.
SUTRA:
MOREOVER, IF FOREIGN ENEMIES MAKE FREQUENT INVASIONS AND
CREATE DISTURBANCES, UPSETTING THE CITIZENS; IF SENIOR OFFICIALS PLOT AGAINST
THE STATE; IF THERE IS PESTILENCE, DROUGHT, OR IF THE SUN AND MOON ARE OUT OF
BALANCE; SHOULD ANY SUCH DISASTERS OR DIFFICULTIES ARISE, YOU SHOULD MAKE AN
IMAGE OF THE THOUSAND-EYED ONE OF THE GREAT COMPASSIONATE HEART AND SET IT
FACING THE WEST. WITH A SINCERE HEART, YOU SHOULD MAKE OFFERINGS TO IT OF ALL
KINDS OF INCENSE, FLOWERS, BANNERS, AND JEWELED CANOPIES, AND WITH EVERY KIND
OF FOOD AND DRINK.
IF, MOREOVER, THE KING CAN, WITH VIGOR OF MIND AND BODY, FOR
SEVEN DAYS AND NIGHTS RECITE AND HOLD THE WONDERFUL PHRASES OF THE DHARANI, THE
FOREIGN INVADERS WILL SURRENDER OF THEIR OWN ACCORD AND RETURN TO THEIR OWN DOMAIN,
CAUSING NO FURTHER DISTURBANCE. THE COUNTRIES WILL BE IN COMMUNICATION AND WILL
HAVE FRIENDLY RELATIONS. THE PRINCES AND OFFICIALS WILL BE LOYAL AND THE
IMPERIAL CONCUBINES AND LADIES-IN-WAITING WILL BE FAITHFUL AND RESPECTFUL
TOWARDS THE KING. ALL DRAGONS, GHOSTS, AND SPIRITS WILL PROTECT THE COUNTRY.
THE RAIN WILL FALL IN SEASON, THE CROPS WILL BE ABUNDANT, AND THE PEOPLE WILL
BE HAPPY.
Commentary:
The miraculous power of the Great Compassion Mantra and the
response which it evokes are inconceivable.
The text says MAKE FREQUENT INVASIONS, and the Chinese word
for "frequent" should be read "suo" and not shu" as it
is usually pronounced. Because the country is often attacked by bandits, the
people will be ill at ease. The high officials may be plotting a revolution, or
deadly infectious diseases may spread throughout the land. Such epidemics are
caused by epidemic ghosts who discharge poison and cause to fall ill.
DROUGHT: Once in Hong Kong it didn't rain a year. Day by day,
the water supply dwindled there was very little left. There had been no all at
Hsi Le Yuan Temple, but when I went there bubbles out of the dry rocks. When
the drought ever, it was a lot of trouble. All the neighbor the hill every day
with their buckets to fight to get water. Soon, the spring was just a trickle
and it was no longer fresh. I said to my disciple "Recite the Buddha's
name and seek rain. If it not rain within three days, don't bother to come back
me." She was terrified. She could do without things, but she couldn't
stand not to see her. She grabbed her beads and started to recite, “Namo Amitabha
Buddha." She recited for two and a half straight, and probably even forgot
to eat. All Buddhists Temples in Hong Kong had been praying rain without
success, but strangely enough, when Kuo-chuan the ultimatum, it rained.
The various Buddhist associations put ads paper saying,
"The rain was due to the efficacy ceremonies etc..." Hsi Le Yuan was
the only reciting which didn't advertise its merit. Actually, three days
weren't really necessary. If I want it will rain on that very day. But I wanted
my Kuo-chuan to create a little merit for herself rain on behalf of everyone.
The reason it will I want it to is that I have ten dragon disciples I order one
of them to make it rain, he makes it. They have to do whatever I tell them to
do, just as American disciples. If they don't obey, I don’t need them, I'll
just set them outside the door.
I have a little problem. Someone said to me told us that there
would be no earthquakes Francisco, and yet a couple of days ago there was
earthquake."
As a matter of fact, at the beginning of I did announce that
there would be no earthquake were people who had predicted an earthquake for
fourth or fifth month, but I said, "I will not the earth to quake."
So my statement was great big lie. No, not a big lie, it just a small the size
of a piece of dust. As long as I am in San Francisco, however, there will be no
earthquake I leave, then I don't care. If there is going a big earthquake, I
can make it a light, and one light ones I'll get rid of entirely.
Last year someone who believes in me a great deal said.
"Don't leave San Francisco. I'm afraid if you do, there will be an
earthquake." I didn't leave, and San Francisco didn't fall into the sea. I
made the same announcement this year: Don't be afraid. There will be no
earthquakes this year." They had scientifically figured that the earth
would quake in the fourth month, but my unscientific figures said it wouldn't.
Some wealthy people moved out. Others who weren't afraid stayed. Although there
was an earthquake, it was a small one.
Another person heard I was going to Minnesota. "I'm going
with you," he said, "because if the Master leaves the City, it's sure
to fall into the sea. If I follow him to Minnesota, I'll be safe. There will be
no earthquake there."
"Don't worry." I told him. "There haven't been
any earthquakes in Hong Kong and I'm not in Hong Kong anymore" So the
danger has passed. I’m not saying anything for certain, but I know that the
heavenly dragons and the eight-fold division of spirits will protect me. Why?
Because I've done nothing to offend them. Since I've not made them angry, the
Dharma protectors won't get too far away from me.9
9 As an aside, the translator's father was greatly impressed by
the master's statement and would often ask in his phone conversations to the
translator, "Have you had any earthquakes?" in a half-teasing manner.
The teasing disappeared finally when after asking the usual question, the
translator replied. “Yes, A small one on Thanksgiving Day." "Is the
Master in San Francisco?" he asked. "No. He's on a speaking tour of
Asia!"
THE SUN AND MOON ARE OUT OF BALANCE... "Sun" refers
to the days and "moon" refers to the nights. Impending celestial
disaster is indicated when the sun shines too long, and the days are suddenly
out of balance, or the nights are too long. When such calamities arise, you
should make a statue of the THOUSAND-EYED ONE OF THE GREAT COMPASSIONATE HEART
AND SET IT FACING THE WEST. It faces the west because that is where the
Bodhisattva's teacher, Amitabha Buddha, lives. When the Bodhisattva sees his
teacher he is really happy. My disciples are the same way. They are delighted
if someone says, "Your teacher is inconceivable...and so forth." But
if someone criticizes him, then they might get angry. But they shouldn't. They
should bear it. They should be patient.
After you have made the statue, you should be sincere in
making offerings to it of FOOD AND DRINK.
If the king can recite the mantra vigorously day and night for
a week, the invaders will retreat and two countries will establish peaceful
relations. The princes and ministers will be LOYAL and the women of palace will
be FAITHFUL.
ALL DRAGONS, GHOSTS, AND SPIRITS WILL PROTECT COUNTRY. I've told
you that I have ten dragon disciples. If dragons protect the kings of
countries, how much more will they protect their teacher! As to GHOSTS there
are good ghosts and bad ghosts. The
Earth Store Bodhisattva Sutra mentions some of the good ghost--the Lord of
Wealth Ghost King, the Lord of Lifespan Ghost King, and the Compassionate Heart
Ghost King. There also good and bad SPIRITS. Bad spirits are even danger than
bad ghosts, because they are more powerful.
THE CROPS WILL BE ABUNDANT... For example, if you originally
would have harvested five hundred pounds oranges, you'll have a crop of two
thousand, a fourth increase in production. All the citizens will be happy and
joyful.
KINH VĂN:
HỰU NHƯỢC GIA NỘI NGỘ ĐẠI ÁC BỆNH, BÁCH
QUÁI CẠNH KHỞI, QUỶ THẦN TÀ MA HAO LOẠN KỲ GIA, ÁC NHÂN HOÀNH TẠO KHẨU THIỆT,
DĨ TƯƠNG MƯU HẠI, THẤT GIA ĐẠI TIỂU NỘI NGOẠI BẤT HÒA GIẢ, THƯỜNG HƯỚNG THIÊN
NHÃN ĐẠI BI TƯỢNG TIỀN, THIẾT KỲ ĐÀN TRÀNG, CHÍ TÂM NIỆM QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ-TÁT,
TỤNG THỬ ĐÀ-LA-NI MÃN KỲ THIÊN BIẾN, NHƯ THƯỢNG ÁC SỰ TẤT GIAI TIÊU DIỆT, VĨNH
ĐẮC AN ẨN.
SUTRA:
FURTHERMORE, IF A HOUSEHOLD IS STRICKEN WITH A GRAVE ILLNESS,
OR WITH TERRIFYING UNCANNY OCCURRENCES, OR IF GHOSTS, SPIRITS, AND DEVIANT
DEMONS TRY TO DESTROY THE HOUSEHOLD, OR IF EVIL PEOPLE GOSSIP AND PLOT TO HARM
THE HOUSEHOLD, CAUSING DISHARMONY BETWEEN YOUNG AND OLD, BETWEEN THOSE WITHIN
AND WITHOUT, THEN YOU SHOULD ERECT A PLATFORM BEFORE A THOUSAND-EYED IMAGE OF
THE GREATLY COMPASSIONATE ONE, AND WITH A SINCERE HEART RECOLLECT THE
BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS, AND RECITE THIS DHARANI A FULL ONE
THOUSAND TIMES. ALL SUCH EVIL OCCURENCES WILL BE ERADICATED, AND THERE WILL
FOREVER BE PEACE AND SECURITY.
Commentary:
The above passage speaks of serious illnesses which doctors
cannot cure, and of quarrels within the family when, for no apparent reason,
husbands and wives get angry with one another. Such occurrences are due to the
influence of GHOSTS, SPIRITS, AND DEVIANT DEMONS who wish to destroy the home.
Or perhaps EVIL PEOPLE spread rumors, unjustly accusing you of something and
upsetting your household. At such times, you should put an IMAGE OF THE
THOUSAND-EYED, GREATLY COMPASSIONATE ONE on a platform and make offerings to
it, and with the utmost sincerity recite the Great Compassion Mantra ONE
THOUSAND TIMES. All such problems will vanish, and you will enjoy PEACE AND
SECURITY.
KINH VĂN:
A-NAN BẠCH PHẬT NGÔN: “THẾ TÔN! THỬ CHÚ DANH HÀ? VÂN HÀ THỌ TRÌ?”
PHẬT CÁO A-NAN: “NHƯ THỊ THẦN CHÚ HỮU CHỦNG CHỦNG DANH:
1. NHẤT DANH QUẢNG ĐẠI VIÊN MÃN.
2. NHẤT DANH VÔ NGẠI ĐẠI BI.
3. NHẤT DANH CỨU KHỔ ĐÀ-LA-NI.
4. NHẤT DANH DIÊN THỌ ĐÀ-LA-NI.
5. NHẤT DANH DIỆT ÁC THÚ ĐÀ-LA-NI.
6. NHẤT DANH PHÁ ÁC NGHIỆP CHƯỚNG ĐÀ-LA-NI.
7. NHẤT DANH MÃN NGUYỆN ĐÀ-LA-NI.
8. NHẤT DANH TÙY TÂM TỰ TẠI ĐÀ-LA-NI.
9. NHẤT DANH TỐC SIÊU THƯỢNG ĐỊA ĐÀ-LA-NI.
NHƯ THỊ THỌ TRÌ.”
SUTRA:
ANANDA SAID TO THE BUDDHA, "WORLD HONORED ONE, WHAT IS THE MANTRA CALLED, AND HOW SHOULD WE ACCEPT AND HOLD IT?"
THE BUDDHA SAID TO ANANDA, "SUCH A SPIRITUAL MANTRA HAS
VARIOUS NAMES.
1. IT IS CALLED 'VAST, GREAT, PERFECT, FULL;
2. IT IS ALSO CALLED 'UNOBSTRUCTED GREAT COMPASSION;
3. IT IS ALSO CALLED 'THE DHARANI OF RELIEVING
SUFFERING;
4. IT IS ALSO CALLED 'THE DHARANI OF LENGTHENING LIFE;
5. IT IS ALSO CALLED 'THE DHARANI OF ERADICATING THE
EVIL DESTINIES;
6. IT IS ALSO CALLED 'THE DHARANI OF DESTROYING EVIL
KARMIC
OBSTACLES;
7. IT IS ALSO CALLED 'THE DHARANI OF FULFILLING ONE'S
VOWS;
8. IT IS ALSO CALLED "THE DHARANI OF MASTERY ACCORDING
WITH THE HEART;
9. IT IS ALSO CALLED 'THE DHARANI OF QUICKLY ASCENDING
TO THE SUPERIOR
LEVEL;
AND AS SUCH SHOULD YOU ACCEPT AND HOLD IT.
Commentary:
Ananda asked the Buddha, "What is the mantra
called?" He had been listening to the Sutra for long time and he still didn't
know the mantra's name.
VAST, GREAT, PERFECT, FULL means that it is at once vast and
complete. UNIMPEDED GREAT COMPASSION means that it has no obstructions and is
complete the great compassion. RELIEVING SUFFERING means it rescues us from
difficulty.
Because the mantra unites all dharmas and holds limitless
meanings, it is called that which unites holds, a DHARANI.
If someone is on the verge of death, you can lengthen his life by reciting the Dharani, and so it is called THE DHARANI OF LENGTHENING LIFE. By means the mantra, the three evil destinies, that of the animal birth, or birth as a hungry ghost, are eradicating and so it is called THE DHARANI OF ERADICATING THE EVIL DESTINIES.
It is also called THE DHARANI OF DESTROYING EVIL KARMIC
OBSTACLES because it can destroy obstructions created by evil karma. However,
you cannot continue create offenses and think to neutralize them by reciting
the mantra as you go along. It doesn't work that way. The mantra can destroy
your previous karma obstructions, but if you continue to create new one it
won't matter if you recite it once, one thousand times, or ten thousand times;
it won't break the obstacles which you have committed by "clearly understanding
and deliberately violating the Dharma.” You should understand this clearly.
The Dharani is called PULFILLING ONE'S VONS it will get you
whatever you want. If you want to rich, it will make you rich; if you want to
be an official, your wish will be granted. If you'd like take a trip to Reno
and win at keno--I won't guarantee such things. In general, your proper wishes
will be fulfilled. As to your improper ones--well, there’s thing fixed about
it. If it were up to me, I would grant them. It is also called THE DHARANI OF
MASTERY ACCORDING WITH THE HEART. This means that however want it, that's how it will be. The SUPERIOR LEVEL refers to the
Ten Bodhisattva Grounds mentioned earlier.
In accord with the names above, YOU SHOULD ACCEPT AND HOLD IT.
Accept and hold the Great Compassion Dharani, the spiritual mantra.
KINH VĂN:
A-NAN BẠCH PHẬT NGÔN: “THẾ TÔN! THỬ BỒ-TÁT
MA-HA-TÁT DANH TỰ HÀ ĐẲNG, THIỆN NĂNG TUYÊN THUYẾT NHƯ THỊ ĐÀ-LA-NI?”
PHẬT NGÔN: “THỬ BỒ-TÁT DANH QUÁN THẾ ÂM TỰ TẠI,
DIỆC DANH NHIÊN SÁCH, DIỆC DANH THIÊN QUANG NHÃN.
THIỆN NAM TỬ! THỬ QUÁN THẾ ÂM BỒ TÁT, BẤT KHẢ TƯ
NGHỊ UY THẦN CHI LỰC, DĨ Ư QUÁ KHỨ VÔ LƯỢNG KIẾP TRUNG, DĨ TÁC PHẬT CÁNH, HIỆU
CHÁNH PHÁP MINH NHƯ LAI, ĐẠI BI NGUYỆN LỰC, VI DỤC PHÁT KHỞI NHẤT THIẾT BỒ TÁT,
AN LẠC THÀNH THỤC CHƯ CHÚNG SANH CỐ, HIỆN TÁC BỒ TÁT.
SUTRA:
ANANDA SAID TO THE BUDDHA, "WORLD HONORED ONE, WHAT IS
THE NAME OF THIS BODHISATTVA, MAHASATTVA WHO IS WELL ABLE TO PROCLAIM SUCH A
DHARANI?"
THE BUDDHA SAID, "THE BODHISATTVA'S NAME IS “REGARDER OF
THE WORLD'S SOUNDS IN COMFORT,” ALSO CALLED “TWIRLING A LARIAT," AND ALSO
CALLED “A THOUSAND BRIGHT EYES."
GOOD MAN, THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS HAS INCONCEIVABLE AWESOME SPIRITUAL MIGHT. IN THE PAST, LIMITLESS AEONS AGO, HE HAD ALREADY BECOME A BUDDHA WITH THE NAME “RIGHT DHARMA BRIGHTNESS THUS COME ONE.” THROUGH THE POWER OF HIS GREAT COMPASSIONATE VOWS, HE WISHES TO CAUSE ALL BODHISATTVAS TO BRING PEACE, JOY, AND MATURITY TO LIVING BEINGS."
Commentary:
Ananda was the Buddha's cousin, the son of King Dronodana, the
Buddha's paternal uncle. In Buddhism, Ananda is foremost in learning. He heard
a lot of Sutras lectures, and his memory was so powerful that once he heard
something, he never forgot it. He had a good memory because in past lives he
cultivated samadhi and so he wasn't scattered or distracted. Ananda never
forgot even one word of the Sutras the Buddha spoke; he remembered them all and
later compiled and edited them.
Ananda had almost the same appearance as the Buddha. The
Buddha has thirty-two marks, and Ananda had thirty and was especially handsome.
His is a Sanskrit name which means "rejoice," because he was born on
the day the Buddha realized the Way, which happened to be the same day his
father won a great military victory--both causes for rejoicing.
"WORLD HONORED ONE," said Ananda, "you who are
honored in the world and beyond the world, WHAT IS THE NAME OF THIS
BODHISATTVA, This Great Being, WHO IS WELL ABLE TO PROCLAIM SUCH A
DHARANI?"
Shakyamuni Buddha replied. “THE BODHISATTVA'S NAME IS “REGARDER
OF THE WORLD'S SOUNDS ". “To regards refers to the Bodhisattva's wisdom
which enables contemplate the world. "Sounds" refers to all the sounds
in the world. He regards the states of all living beings, good and evil, big
and small, and hearing their sounds. If he didn't have any Samadhi power would
be moved by the sounds. But the Bodhisattva great wisdom and great samadhi, and
so he is said have attained COMFORT. "Comfort" is the manifestation
his samadhi. Without samadhi, he wouldn't be "Comfort able" and be
would be turned by the Eight Winds.
What are the Eight Winds? They are eight kind states. Those
who have samadhi will not be moved them, but those without samadhi will. The Eight
Winds are mentioned in the lines of a well-known poem by Sung Dynasty poet Su
Tung P'o. Su Tung P’o practices meditation every day and thought that he was very
accomplished. Once, be felt as if he were sitting gold lotus flower,
"thus, thus unmoving, clearly standing, eternally bright," and so he
wrote a poem:
Khể thủ Thiên Trung Thiên,
Hào quang chiếu đại thiên,
Bát phong xuy bất động,
Đoan tọa tử kim liên.
I bow to the god among
gods;
A light-beam illumines
the world.
The eight winds blow but
do not move me,
As I sit upright in the
purple-gold lotus.
The "god among
gods" is the Buddha. The Buddha also the sage among the sages. No one
is higher or lower than the Buddha. He has transcended both high or low and
exhausts empty space and the limits of the Dharma Realm.
"A light-beam
illumines the world." Su Tung P’o thought he was emitting a light which illuminated
everywhere and lit up the heavens, the hells and cosmos.
Then he said, " The
eight winds blow but do not move me,”…
The Eight Winds are:
1. Praise.
"Upasaka," they said, "you are dedicated Bodhisattva, a great
Dharma-protector”, give you one high hat after another, until wearing who knows how many high hats, you break right
through Heaven of the Thirty-three and land in the Heaven of the Thirty-four! "I'm really not bad” you thought
"Why else would they praise me so?" Your hands with joy and you can't
keep your feet from dancing and down as you are blown by the wind of praise clear
into empty space to hang there from the clouds.
2. Ridicule.
"You...study...the...Buddha...Dharma they say in long drawn-out tones
which cut like a knife "That's...the...very...best..." They tell you
things you don't want to hear and their words pierce your ears until the blood
flows. You get angry and the fire of ignorance blazes thirty-thousand feet into
the air as you are blown by the wind of ridicule
3. Suffering.
Suffering is bitter. It makes you nervous, and nearly burns the blood in your
body dry. Your head aches, your eyes blur, and your teeth hurt. Because you
have been moved by the wind of suffering, every kind of sickness and problem
arises.
4. Happiness. Things
are going all right. Everyone likes you. You eat well, wear nice clothes, and
live in a nice house. You've even got a little sports car to run around in. But
you're so happy that you become confused and forget what you're all about. In
you joy, you forget about sorrow and become so confused that you believe you've
become an immortal or even realized Buddhahood! You feel you don't need to
cultivate anymore; you've been blown by the wind of happiness.
Happiness is just another wind. Don't take it as a good thing.
5. Benefit. You
invest in stocks and, in three days, their value quadruples. "I've really
made it." you think, blown by the wind of benefit.
6. Destruction. You
own several buildings, and, from out of nowhere, a fire burns them to the
ground. Destruction is difficult to endure.
7. Gain. You're
walking down the road and find a million dollars. You're delighted.
8. Loss. After a while,
you lose it. You're miserable.
These are the Eight Winds. If you have Samadhi power, you
won't be moved when they blow, and it will be as if nothing happened. So Su
Tung P'o said, "The Eight Winds blow but do not move me,/ As I sit upright in the purple-gold
lotus."
Feeling especially exalted, Su Tung P'o sent the verse with a
messenger to Dhyana Master Fo Yin, so that the Master could certify the poet's
attainment. Dhyana Master Fo Yin had a sense of humor. When the messenger
handed him the note, he didn't say a word, but just added two little words at
the bottom. They weren't anything special--just "Fart, fart."
When Su Tung P'o saw the Dhyana Master's message, he blew his
top. "I'm a poet!" he cried. "I write excellent poems. How can
he say fart, fart to me?” and off he went to confront Master Fo Yin.
“You!" he shouted as he burst in the door. “How can you
insult me like that?"
What do you mean?" said Dhyana Master Fo Yin.
"I wrote such a fine poem to show you the level of my
cultivation, and all you have to say about it is “fart!”.
Master Po Yin said, "You said the Eight Winds did not
move you. How is it that two little farts bounced you all the way up here, all
the way from the south of the Yangtze River to the north of the Yangtze?"
Su Tung P'o knew it was true. There was nothing could say. His
cultivation simply wasn't up to it. So, he immediately bowed, sought
instruction, and returned home to continue working.
He was moved because he was not "comfortable.” If he had
attained comfort, like the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds, he
wouldn't have gone all that way to scold the Dhyana Master. "If you say “fart,”
that’s all right. If you don't say “fart,” that's all right too. Everything's
okay." With skill like that, Dhyana Master To Yin would have admired him,
but as it turned out, Su Tung P'o lost his round with Master Fo Yin. He was off
by just a hair, and so he failed.
The Bodhisattva is also called TWIRLING A LARIAT, One of the Forty-two Hands is called
"The Lariat Hand and the Bodhisattva always carries a lariat. He is also called
A THOUSAND BRIGHT EYES. The Buddha again called out, "GOOD MAN! The
INCONCEIVABLE SPIRITUAL MIGHT of the Bodhisattva cannot be thought of with the
mind or expressed in words. Countless aeons ago HE HAD ALREADY BECOME A BUDDHA.”
What was his name?
“RIGHT DHARMA BRIGHTNESS THUS COME ONE.” THROUGH THE POWER OF HIS GREAT COMPASSIONATE VOWS, HE WISHES TO CAUSE ALL BODHISATTVAS TO BRING PEACE, JOY, AND MATURITY TO LIVING BEINGS." The Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds couldn't give up the great compassionate vows be made in the past. Relying on those vows, he wants to cause all the Bodhisattvas to resolve their thoughts on enlightenment, to practice Bodhisattva conduct, and to bring peace and joy to living beings, and to rescue them from difficulty. That is why, although he was originally the Thus Come One Right Dharma Brightness, he now manifests as the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds.
KINH VĂN:
NHỮ ĐẲNG ĐẠI CHÚNG, CHƯ BỒ-TÁT MA-HA-TÁT, PHẠM
THÍCH LONG THẦN, GIAI ƯNG CUNG KÍNH, MẠC SANH KHINH MẠN. NHẤT THIẾT NHÂN THIÊN,
THƯỜNG TU CÚNG DƯỜNG, CHUYÊN XƯNG DANH HIỆU, ĐẮC VÔ LƯỢNG PHÚC, DIỆT VÔ LƯỢNG
TỘI, MẠNG CHUNG VÃNG SANH A-DI-ĐÀ PHẬT QUỐC.
SUTRA:
GREAT ASSEMBLY, ALL BODHISATTVAS, MAHASATTVAS, BRAHMA, SHAKRA,
DRAGONS, AND SPIRITS SHOULD REVERE HIM AND NOT LOOK UPON HIM LIGHTLY. PEOPLE
AND GODS SHOULD ALWAYS MAKE OFFERINGS TO HIM AND SINGLEMINDEDLY RECITE HIS NAME
IN ORDER TO OBTAIN LIMITLESS BLESSINGS, TO ERADICATE LIMITLESS OFFENSES, AND TO
BE REBORN AT THE END OF LIFE IN THE LAND OF AMITABHA BUDDHA.
Commentary:
All of you now present in the ASSEMBLY, and you who are not
present as well, all BODHISATTVAS, Great Bodhisattvas, BRAHMA, SHAKRA…” Shakra is also called Indra and is known to
Christians as "God Almighty.” In the Shurangama Mantra he is referred to
as in “Nam mô Nhơn Đà La Da Namo Yin Two La Ye."
DRAGONS AND SPIRITS should not look down on the Bodhisattva,
either. PEOPLE AND GODS SHOULD ALWAYS MAKE OFFERINGS TO HIM AND SINGLEMINDEDLY
RECITE HIS NAME IN ORDER TO OBTAIN LIMITLESS BLESSINGS, TO ERADICATE LIMITLESS
OFFENSES. Amitabha Buddha is the Bodhisattva's teacher, and so if you recite
the Bodhisattva’s name, in the future you will certainly be reborn in THE LAND
OF AMITABHA BUDDHA, the Western Land of Ultimate Bliss.
KINH VĂN:
Đức Phật bảo ngài A Nan: - Thần chú của Quán Thế Âm Bồ Tát nói ra đây, chân thật không dối. Nếu muốn thỉnh Bồ Tát đến, nên tụng chú vào hương chuyết cụ la 21 lần rồi đốt lên. (chuyết cụ la chính là an tức hương)
SUTRA:
THE BUDDHA TOLD ANANDA, "THE SPIRITUAL MANTRA SPOKEN BY
THE BODHISATTVA WHO REGARDS THE WORLD'S SOUNDS IS TRUE, REAL, AND NOT FALSE. IF
YOU WISH THE BODHISATTVA TO VISIT, YOU SHOULD SAY THE MANTRA OVER KUKURA
INCENSE TWENTY-ONE TIMES, AND THE BODHISATTVA WILL COME FOR A VISIT.
Commentary:
"Ananda," said the Buddha, "The spiritual mantra
real and is not false. Its merit and virtue inconceivable, and so is its
spiritual power. It increase blessings and eradicates limitless offenses.
“Should you wish to invite the Bodhisattva to descend and
VISIT your platform, recite the Great compassion mantra over Kukura (Parthian)
incense twenty-one times and burn the incense. The Bodhisattva will accept your
invitation and come to the assembly.10
10 No western scientific basis exists for statement made herein.
All information and herbals are present in a strictly canonical context.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
kẻ nào bị loài ma mèo dựa vào phá khuấy, người thân thuộc nên
tìm một bộ xương của con
mèo đã chết,
đốt tan ra tro, rồi hòa với đất bùn sạch, nắn thành hình mèo.
Khi hoàn thành để hình ấy trước tượng Thiên Nhãn, tụng 108 biến chú
Đại Bi vào lưỡi dao rồi chặt hình mèo thành 108 đoạn. Nên nhớ cứ mỗi lần tụng
xong một biến thì chém xuống một đao, kêu tên loài ma mèo một lần. Làm như
thế bịnh nhơn sẽ an lành, ma mèo vĩnh viễn không dám phá hoại.
SUTRA:
IF YOU BECOME POSSESSED BY A CAT, TAKE MI LI CHA NO AND
BURN IT TO ASHES. MIX THE ASHES WITH CLEAN MUD AND MOLD THEM INTO THE SHAPE OF
A CAT. BEFORE A THOUSAND-EYED IMAGE MANTRA A FINE QUALITY STEEL KNIFE 108 TIME AND
YOU SLICE THE STATUE INTO 108 SECTIONS, SAYING THE MANTRA ONCE OVER EACH SLICE.
CALL THE CAT'S NAME ONCE AND IT WILL LEAVE AND NEVE RETURN AGAIN. (MI LI CHA NO IS
THE SKULL DEAD CAT.)
Commentary:
Many people think the matters here discussed strange, but this
is only because Western people unfamiliar with them. In India and China they are
fact considered quite ordinary.
What does it mean to be POSSESSED BY A CAT are eighty-four
thousand kinds of illness in this and some of them are very strange indeed.
There is way one can understand them all. Although cats are small animals, they
can sometimes make mischief. There are also cat-spirits, strange cat-creatures.
While in Manchuria, I saw a cat who had a sickness caused by a deviant demon
obstacle which made it jump up and down wildly all day and all night, as if it
had gone mad. When a cat like this dies, it may turn into a cat-ghost which can
possess people and make them sick, confuse their energies and muddle their
brains.
The Great Compassion Mantra can cure all strange illnesses.
People who have this "cat confusion" are hard to cure, however, because
the cats are like miniature tigers. Therefore it's necessary to use an anti-dote,
to fight poison with poison; this is the basic principle behind all medicines.
If you have caught a "cat-ghost" you should take MI
LI CHA NO, the skull of a dead cat, and burn it to ashes. Then, because the
ashes don't amount to much, you should mix them with CLEAN MUD and fashion a
small cat, just as children might in play. Take a FINE QUALITY STEEL KNIFE and
recite the Great Compassion Mantra 108 TIMES as you slice the statue into 108
pieces. Then CALL THE CAT'S NAME ONCE and it will vanish, never to return
again.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
người nào bị chất độc của loài sâu cổ làm hại, thì thân nhơn mau
dùng hương dược kiếp bố la hòa đồng phân với chuyết cụ la hương
vào nước trong, sắc còn một chén. Xong, lại để chén thuốc ấy trước tượng Thiên
Nhãn tụng chú 108 biến rồi cho bịnh nhơn uống, liền thấy an lành. (dược kiếp bố la hương tức Long
não hương)
SUTRA:
IF POISONED WITH “KU” YOU SHOULD MIX YAQ CHIEH PU LO
WITH AN EQUAL PORTION OF KUKURA INCENSE. ADD A PINT OF WELL-FLOWER WATER AND
DECOCT THE MIXTURE UNTIL ONE PINT REMAINS. MANTRA THE MIXTURE 108 TIMES BEFORE
A THOUSAND-EYED IMAGE AND THE POISON WILL BE EXPELLED. (YAQ CHIEH PU LO
IS DRAGON BRAIN INCENSE.)
Commentary:
The methods and doctrines discussed here are inconceivable.
They belong to the Secret School, that is, a secret Dharma--you know it but I
don't or I know it but you don't--and so most people don't understand the doctrines
involved.
What is “KU” poison? Ku Masters have great spiritual powers
and can fly and transform themselves, appear and vanish at will--now you see
them, now you don’t know. Their hearts are terribly cruel. Most of them were
snakes in previous lives and so they are extremely venomous at heart and take
murdering as their special talent and injuring people as their "samadhi of
playfulness." Killing and injuring people is a very ordinary matter for
them. Ku poison is found in Thailand, Viet Nam, Singapore, and in China in the
southwest province of Yunnan. There is a saying, "You get with the
stuff." The women of Viet Nam and Singapore were fond of Chinese men. They
would marry them and then fearing that their husbands might return to China
they would "stick them with the ku." As long as remained with their
wives, everything was all right, if they returned to China, the wives would
simply to recite a mantra and, if the husbands didn't return they would
certainly die.
Someone may put KU in your tea, or someone may the KU on an
object so that when you touch it, you get the KU. It's as fierce as that. Or
someone may put something in the street and if you touch it or per kick it with
your foot, you'll get the KU. If you to stick someone with the KU, you can
visit a KU and he will give you the method to give them the KU, you can recite
the Shurangama Mantra or the Great compassion Mantra you needn't fear any KU at
all. You also recite the Wu Ta Hsin mantra, which is part of the Shurangama
Mantra, to render it ineffective and destroy it.
If you do get poisoned by KU, however, you should MIX YAO
CHIEH PU LO WITH AN EQUAL PORTION OF KUKURA INCENSE. YAO CHIEH PU LO
is a medicinal herb. Mix three to five ounces of each with a PINT OF WELL-FLOWER
WATER--so called because it is fresh drawn from a well so that it is still
swirling and I like a flower. Boil THE MIXTURE UNTIL ONE PINT REMAINS. Then,
BEFORE A THOUSAND-EYED IMAGE of the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds,
recite the Great compassion Mantra over the mixture 108 TIMES. Drink it and you
will be completely cured.
Dragon brain incense and KUKURA or Parthian incense are
specific antidotes for poisonous, deviant energies. Deviant spirits and deviant
ghosts fear power of these two medicines. KUKURA incense destroy all deviant
energies. Dragon brain incense and KUKURA incense mixed with well-flower water
counteract KUKURA poison. On the one hand, it's the power of the Great Compassion
Mantra, and on the other hand, the power of the two medicines which get rid of
the poison.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị rắn rít cắn, dùng vị Càn cương tán thành mạt, tụng chú vào đấy 21
biến, rồi dấp lên vết thương, liền hết.
SUTRA:
IF YOU ARE BITTEN BY POISONOUS SNAKES OR SCORPIONS, SAY THE
MANTRA SEVEN TIMES OVER POWDERED DRY GINGER, PLACE IT ON THE BITE, AND
THE POISON WILL BE IMMEDIATELY EXPELLED.
Commentary:
IF YOU ARE BITTEN BY the fangs of a venomous snake or scorpion
it is extremely painful and, unless the bite is properly treated, your very
life may be in danger. This refers to all kinds of poisonous snakes and bugs.
One bee sting may not be too serious, but there are certain wasps which can be
very poisonous.
If you are bitten, recite the Great Compassion Mantra SEVEN
TIMES OVER POWDERED DRY GINGER and put it on the sore. The ginger is hot and
overpowers the venom; combined with the power of the mantra recited seven
times, it will neutralize the poison and cure you immediately.
This is the method of "fighting poison with poison"
which is also the basis of the principles of modern chemistry. In China, one
speaks of the five elements overcoming one another in succession: wood
overcomes earth; earth overcomes water; water overcomes fire; fire overcomes
metal; metal overcomes wood.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị kẻ thù mưu hại, nên dùng đất sạch, hoặc bột, hoặc sáp, nắn thành
hình kẻ ấy. Xong, lại để hình nhơn trước tượng Thiên Nhãn, tụng vào
lưỡi dao 108 biến Đại Bi, cứ tụng xong mỗi biến lại chém xuống một dao,
kêu tên người kia một lần, rồi đem 108 đoạn hình đã chặt đốt tan. Y
theo pháp thức như thế, kẻ oan gia thù nghịch sẽ đổi
ra trạng thái vui vẻ, thân hậu đối với ta, trọn đời đôi
bên quý mến lẫn nhau.
SUTRA:
IF, OUT OF HATE AND RESENTMENT, SOMEONE PLOTS TO HARM YOU, YOU
SHOULD MOLD AN IMAGE OF THE PERSON OUT OF CLEAN EARTH, FLOUR, OR WAX. BEFORE A
THOUSAND-EYED IMAGE, SAY THE MANTRA 108 TIMES OVER A STEEL KNIFE OF FINE
QUALITY. SLICE THE STATUE INTO 108 PIECES AS YOU RECITE THE MANTRA ONCE OVER
EACH SLICE. AFTER EACH SLICE, CALL THE NAME OF THE PERSON WHO WISHES TO HARM
YOU. BURN ALL 108 SLICES. THAT PERSON WILL BE DELIGHTED AND WILL RESPECT YOU
UNTIL THE END OF HIS LIFE.
Commentary:
If someone has a grievance against you or if cause of a
misunderstanding, he would resort to any method at all to do you in, you should
use EARTH, FLOUR, OR WAX to mold a STATUE of either the person who is plotting
against you or an image of yourself.
Therefore, an image of the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World’s
Sounds, SAY THE MANTRA 108 TIMES OVER A STEEL KNIFE OF FINE QUALITY. As you
recite each mantra, cut the statue in 108 PIECES, and AFTER EACH SLICE, CALE THE
NAME OF THE PERSON WHO WISHES TO HARM YOU. Then, BURN ALL 108 SLICES. If you
use earth, however, you won't be able to burn it, so it is better to use flour
or WAX. Your enemy will become your friend and will have great RESPECT and
admiration for you UNTIL THE END OF HIS LIFE. He will never again want to hurt
you.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị bịnh đau mắt, hoặc mắt kéo màng đỏ, mắt trắng đục, hoặc quáng manh, hoặc hư
tròng, không thấy được ánh sáng, nên dùng trái ha lê lặc, trái am ma
lặc, trái bệ hê lặc, mỗi thứ một quả, đem nghiền, vắt lấy nước. Khi vắt nước
nên ở chỗ vắng lặng, giữ cho sạch sẽ, miệng luôn niệm Phật, chớ để
cho mèo, chó, gà, lợn cùng đàn bà mới sanh thấy. Vắt nước xong đem hòa với bạch
mật, hoặc sữa người. Sữa này phải là của phụ nhơn sanh con trai, chứ không được
dùng sữa của người sanh con gái.
Khi
hòa thành xong, đem chén thuốc để trước tượng Thiên Nhãn tụng
chú 108 biến. Trì chú vào thuốc rồi, bịnh nhơn phải ở nơi nhà
kín, tránh gió trong thời gian 7 ngày và dùng thuốc ấy nhỏ vào mắt.
Làm như thế, tròng con mắt hư lại sanh, các chứng kia đều lành. Mắt thấy được tỏ
rõ .
(PHỤ CHÚ: Ba thứ trái này xứ ta
không có, bịnh nhơn nên phương tiện thay 3 thứ trái khác hoặc 3 thứ
thuốc khác có tánh cách trị bịnh đau mắt, nếu như chí thành, cũng được linh
nghiệm.)
SUTRA:
IF YOUR EYES GO BAD SO THAT YOU ARE
AFFECTED BY DIMMED VISION OR BLINDNESS, OR IF PERHAPS YOUR EYES BECOME COVERED
BY A WHITE HAZE OR A RED FILM, YOU SHOULD GRIND TO A FINE POWDER ONE HARITAKI
FRUIT, ONE AMALA FRUIT, AND ONE P’I HSI LEI FRUIT. WHILE GRINDING THEM, YOU
SHOULD RECITE THE BUDDHA'S NAME AND YOU SHOULD GUARD THEIR PURITY BY NOT
ALLOWING EITHER WOMEN WHO HAVE JUST GIVEN BIRTH OR PIGS OR DOGS TO SEE THE
MIXTURE. THEN MIX THE POWDER WITH WHITE HONEY OR HUMAN MILK AND PLACE IT IN
YOUR EYES. THE HUMAN MILK MUST BE THAT OF A MOTHER WHO HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO A
MALE CHILD. THE MILK FROM THE MOTHER OF A FEMALE CHILD WILL NOT WORK.
AFTER MIXING THE MEDICINE, YOU SHOULD
GO BEFORE A THOUSAND-EYED IMAGE AND SAY THE MANTRA OVER THE MEDICINE 108 TIMES.
PLACE IT IN THE EYES FOR A FULL SEVEN DAYS WHILE REMAINING IN A QUIET ROOM AND
TAKING CARE TO AVOID DRAFTS. YOUR EYESIGHT WILL BE RESTORED AND THE WHITE HAZE
AND RED FILM WILL DEPART, LEAVING THE EYESIGHT EVEN CLEARER THAN BEFORE.
Commentary:
The eyes are the mirror of your heart. Why do people's eyes go
bad? Because their hearts are bad. If your heart is good, your vision will be
good. Americans have the habit of staring into each other's eyes, but Chinese
people don't do that. If you stare at a Chinese, he will think you most
uncivilized. Mencius said, "If, within the breast all is correct, the
pupil is bright. If within the breast all is not correct, the pupil is
dull." 11
11 The Works of Mencius, trans. James Legge, Book IV. Part 1,
Chap. XV.
If your heart is proper, your eyes will be calm and pleasant.
If your heart is improper, you won't see clearly and your eyes will flit here
and there, blinking furiously all day long. You will never know whether to open
your eyes or shut them, and you'll glance around like a cat. Cats never see
things clearly; it's allways as if something is obstructing their vision. So if
you continually harbor deviant knowledge and deviant views, your eyes may go
bad. It is also possible to ruin your eyes by drinking too much wine, by being
too greedy for beautiful forms, or by having too fiery a temper. There are many
reasons for dim vision.
Someone once claimed that his eyes were so good that he could
watch a mosquito breathe in and out at a distance of over ten miles. But then,
when he walked out the door, he ran into an ox!
Once there was a man who couldn't see anything day or night:
A spark from the burner that fell to the processed be took for flying bucks.
His wife sat right beside him, and he asked, "Who are you?"
A spot of sun shining through the window he took to be an egg.
The moonlight shining on the ground he took as firewood.
Casually sniffing the flowers, be bumped and scraped his nose.
Is a hurry to lock his trunk, be cut his eyebrows off.
And there's something else that's even more of a joke:
Trying to blow out the lamp, be burned his own mouth!
DIMMED VISION means that originally your eyes very good, but
now you can't see anything at all. They may be COVERED BY A WHITE HAZE OR A RED
FILM. The red film is like that on the eyes of the Ku Masters mentioned before.
People with such eye problems should grind together a HARITAKI
FRUIT, which is an Indian fruit, an AMALA FRUIT, and a P'I HSI LEI FRUIT. Keep
the mixture, PURITY BY NOT ALLOWING EITHER WOMEN WHO HAVE JUST GIVEN BIRTH OR
PIGS, OR DOGS TO SEE THE MIXTURE. While grinding them mixture, recite the
BUDDHA'S NAME, "Namo Amitabha Buddha” and, when the fruits are ground to a
fine powder the powder, mix with WHITE HONEY, that is, white sugar with HUMAN
MILK. In order for it to be effective the milk must come from the MOTHER OF A
MALE CHILD; THE MILK FROM THE MOTHER OF A FEMALE CHILD WILL NOT WORK.
Hard-working cultivators don't raise dogs or play with them,
because the animals are unclean. For example, last year some people kept two
dogs out house and to this day the dog smell lingers. In China, it is the
custom that, after a woman gives birth doesn't visit the house for a month.
This is because during the month after birth, there are many unclean things
around and it is best to avoid them. Especial those who cultivate the Dharma
and hold mantras stay away. While one may ordinarily recite matras a lot of
efficacy, if one visits such a house during that month, the mantras will not be
efficacious, dislike unclean atmospheres. Therefore those cultivate the
Forty-two Hands should not visit a home during that time.
When the medicine has been mixed well, go before a
thousand-handed, THOUSAND-EYED IMAGE of the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's
Sounds and SAY THE MANTRA OVER THE MEDICINE 108 TIMES. PLACE IT IN THE EYES FOR
A FULL SEVEN DAYS. Stay in a QUIET ROOM and carefully AVOID DRAFTS. YOUR
EYESIGHT WILL BE RESTORED and may be even clearer and brighter than it was
before.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị bịnh rét hoặc bị loài ma rét dựa, nên dùng da cọp hoặc da beo tụng vào đấy
21 biến chú, rồi phủ lên mình thì bịnh sẽ lành, ma cũng xa lánh. Như được
da sư tử thì càng quý.
SUTRA:
IF YOU ARE AFFLICTED BY RECURRENT FEVERS, YOU SHOULD SAY THE
MANTRA TWENTY- ONE TIMES OVER THE SKIN OF A TIGER, PANTHER, OR WOLF. PLACE THE
SKIN ON YOUR BODY AND THE FEVER WILL BE EXPELLED. THE SKIN OF A LION IS BEST.
Commentary:
RECURRENT FEVERS occur at regular intervals, perhaps once a
day, once every other day, or once every three days. One has fever and chills
because of a recurrent-fever ghost. The fever-sickness ghost may come once a
day, or once every three days, but when he comes he will cause you to have
chills. At other times you may feel perfectly well, but when the ghost comes,
you cannot do anything at all. In this case, take the SKIN OF A TIGER, PANTHER,
OR WOLF and recite the mantra over it TWENTY-ONE TIMES. PLACE THE SKIN ON YOUR
BODY AND THE FEVER WILL BE EXPELLED. You will be well right away. If you can
find the SKIN OF A LION, that is even better.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị rắn độc cắn, dùng chất ráy đóng trong lỗ tai của người bị cắn, tụng
chú 21 biến, thoa vào vết thương, nọc rắn liền tiêu.
Nếu bị bịnh rét dữ nhập tâm, hôn muội sắp
chết, dùng một khối mủ cây đào, lớn ước lượng bằng trái đào, đem hòa
với một chén nước trong, sắc còn nửa chén, tụng chú vào đấy bảy biến
rồi uống, bịnh sẽ lành. Thuốc này chớ cho phụ nữ sắc.
SUTRA:
IF SOMEONE IS BITTEN BY A POISONOUS SNAKE, YOU SHOULD SAY THE
MANTRA TWENTY-ONE TIMES OVER A PIECE OF THE EAR-WAX OF THE PERSON BITTEN, PLACE
THE WAX IN THE SORE, AND THE POISON WILL BE EXPELLED.
SHOULD AN EVIL FEVER ENTER YOUR HEART SO THAT YOU ARE
MELANCHOLY TO THE POINT OF WISHING TO DIE, YOU SHOULD MIX A LUMP OF PEACH-GUM
ABOUT THE SIZE OF A PEACH PIT WITH ONE PINT OF PURE WATER, AND THEN DECOCT THE
MIXTURE UNTIL ONLY ONE HALF PINT REMAINS, MANTRA IT SEVEN TIMES AND SWALLOW IT
ALL IN ONE GULP, AND THE SICKNESS WILL BE EXPELLED. DO NOT ALLOW A WOMAN TO
DECOCT THE MEDICINE.
Commentary:
The fever mentioned previously was just an ordinary sort of
fever, not particularly serious. This fever, however, is very serious. It
doesn't strike every day or so, but many times every day. When it comes, the
person affected feels like dying. The sick person should MIX A LUMP OF
PEACH-GUM...WITH ONE PINT OF PURE WATER. Don't let the sick person know what
kind of medicine be is taking. If he knows, it won't be effective.
DO NOT ALLOW A WOMAN TO DECOCT THE MEDICINE. Why not? Men are YANG
and women are YIN. The medicine for this particular illness is also yin, and if
a woman decocts it an imperceptible change will occur and cause the medicine
not to have as much strength. If a man decocts it, his yang can subdue the yin
sickness.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị loài quỷ truyền thi, phục thi làm bịnh, dùng hương chuyết cụ
la tụng chú 21 biến, đốt xông vào lỗ mũi. Lại lấy 7 khối hương lớn ước
lượng bằng lóng tay cái, cũng gia trì chú 21 biến mà uống, bịnh
sẽ lành. Nên nhớ: Bịnh nhơn phải kiêng rượu, thịt, ngũ vị tân (58) và mắng chửi.
Một phương
pháp nữa là dùng vị Ma Na Thi La hòa với Bạch giới tử và
muối hột, gia trì chú 21 biến, rồi đem xông đốt dưới giường người bịnh,
quỷ liền vội vã trốn chạy, không dám ở. (Ma
Na Thi La là vị thuốc Hùng Hoàng.)
(58) Ngũ vị tân: hành, hẹ, tỏi, nén, hưng cừ. (hai thứ sau nước ta
không có)
SUTRA:
SHOULD THERE OCCUR THE “TRANSMISSION OF THE CORPSE” OR THE “SICKNESS
OF CONTROLLING THE CORPSE,” YOU SHOULD SAY THE MANTRA OVER KUKURA INCENSE
TWENTY-ONE TIMES AND BURN IT BENEATH YOUR NOSTRILS. YOU SHOULD FURTHER FASHION
THE INCENSE INTO SEVEN PILLS THE SIZE OF RABBIT DROPPINGS, MANTRA THEM TWENTY-ONE
TIMES, SWALLOW THEM, AND YOU WILL BE CURED. TAKE CARE NOT TO DRINK LIQUOR OR
EAT MEAT OR THE FIVE PUNGENT PLANTS, AND NOT TO USE ABUSIVE LANGUAGE.
IF YOU MIX MANAHSHILA WITH WHITE MUSTARD SEEDS AND YIN
CH’ ENG SALT, MANTRA IT TWENTY-ONE TIMES, AND BURN IT BENEATH THE
SUFFERER'S BED; WHAT CAUSES THE SICKNESS WILL QUICKLY FLEE.
Commentary:
Western people don't believe in this kind of "deviant
sickness" because it doesn't happen often in the West. In China there are
many, many cases of this illness.
What is the
"deviant illness?" A person may be perfectly healthy, but then a
ghost comes and "climbs up" on his body. This is called
"TRANSMISSION OF THE CORPSE" through ghostly energies. Or perhaps
someone has died and a ghost goes to his body and causes him to speak, so that
he sounds just like the person who died. This is what is meant by "deviant
illness."
"CONTROLLING THE CORPSE" refers to an illness which
is very hard to cure. A man dead for several days suddenly comes back to life.
Actually, the person hasn't come back to life; a deviant demon has taken
possession of his body.
Most people have no way to cure these illnesses. No medicines
are effective.
In such cases you should MANTRA KUKURA INCENSE TWENTY-ONE
TIMES AND BURN IT BENEATH YOUR NOSTRILS. FASHION THE INCENSE INTO SEVEN PILLS
ABOUT THE SIZE OF RABBIT DROPPINGS, MANTRA THEM TWENTY-ONE TIMES, SWALLOW THEM,
AND YOU WILL BE CURED. Do not DRINK LIQUOR, OR EAT MEAT, OR THE FIVE PUNGENT
PLANTS--garlic, onions, scallions, shallots, and leeks--and do not use ABUSIVE
LANGUAGE.
Another method for curing the sickness is to use MANAHSHILA
(realgar). People use concoctions of realgar because bugs and snakes are
repelled by it and deviant demons and strange ghosts also fear its scent. Combine
it with WHITE MUSTARD SEEDS AND YIN CH’ENG SALT, MANTRA IT TWENTY-ONE
TIMES and put it underneath the sick person's bed. Burn it and WHAT CAUSES THE
SICK- NESS, that is, the ghost, WILL QUICKLY FLEE. It will quickly leave and
not dare hang around and make sick.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị tai điếc lùng bùng, tụng chú vào dầu mè, rồi nhỏ trong tai, bịnh sẽ
lành.
SUTRA:
IF YOU BECOME DEAF, SAY THE MANTRA OVER SESAME OIL, PUT IT ON
THE EAR AND YOU WILL BE CURED.
Commentary:
It doesn't say how many times you should say the mantra, but
at the very least, you should recite twenty-one times.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị chứng thiên phong, xụi nửa thân mình, tai điếc, mũi không biết mùi, dùmg dầu
mè sắc với vị Thanh Mộc Hương, gia trì chú 21 biến, rồi thoa nơi
mình. Bịnh sẽ vĩnh viễn tiêu trừ.
Lại
một phương pháp nữa: dùng sữa ngưu tô thuần chất, tụng vào 21 biến chú
mà thoa, bịnh cũng sẽ lành.
SUTRA:
IF YOU BECOME PARALYZED ON ONE SIDE YOUR BODY SO THAT YOUR
NOSE IS BLOCKED AND YOUR HANDS AND FEET WON'T MOVE, DECOCT SESAME OIL AND GREEN
WOOD INCENSE, MANTRA IT TWENTY-ONE TIMES, RUB IT ON YOUR BODY, AND YOU WILL
FOREVER BE CURED.
THERE IS ANOTHER METHOD: MANTRA PURE COW BUTTER TWENTY-ONE
TIMES, RUB IT ON YOUR BODY, AND YOU WILL BE CURED.
Commentary:
IF YOU BECOME PARALYZED, half of your body not move and you
cannot hear or breathe through nose. The paralysis, however, affects only your
body. Decoct SESAME OIL with GREEN, WOOD INCENSE, which is a kind of medicine, RUB
IT ON YOUR BODY, AND YOU
WILL FOREVER BE CURED. You can also say mantra over PURE COW
BUTTER TWENTY-ONE TIMES and rub it on body to effect a cure.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
phụ nhơn sanh sản khó, mau dùng dầu mà gia trì chú 21 biến, rồi thoa
nơi rún và ngọc môn, liền được dễ sanh.
Nếu phụ nhơn có nghén, thai nhi chết
trong bụng, dùng một lượng thuốc A Ba Mộc Lợi Đà, đổ hai chén sắc còn
một chén, gia trì chú 21 biến mà uống, thì cái thai liền ra, phụ nhơn
không một chút đau đớn. Như thai y (nhau)
không ra, cũng uống thuốc này. (A ba mộc lợi đà là vị Ngưu Tất.)
SUTRA:
IF A WOMAN IS UNDERGOING DIFFICULT LABOR, MANTRA SESAME OIL
TWENTY-ONE TIMES, RUB IT ON THE NAVEL AND THE “JADE DOOR," AND SHE WILL
GIVE BIRTH EASILY.
SHOULD THE CHILD OF A PREGNANT WOMAN DIE IN HER WOMB, MIX A
LARGE OUNCE OF A PO MU LI CH’IEH GRASS WITH TWO PINTS OF PURE WATER;
DECOCT THEM UNTIL ONE PINT REMAINS. MANTRA THE MIXTURE TWENTY-ONE TIMES, HAVE
THE WOMAN SWALLOW IT AND THE FOETUS WILL EMERGE WITHOUT ANY PAIN TO THE MOTHER.
IF THE PLACENTA DOES NOT COME OUT, GIVE HER THE MEDICINE AGAIN AND THE PLACENTA
WILL EMERGE AND THE WOMAN WILL BE WELL. (A PO HULL CH’IEH GRASS IS “OX KNEE” GRASS.)
Commentary:
People have all kinds of karmic obstacles, and because of
them, people sometimes die before they are even born. The text says A LARGE
OUNCE because it should be a bit more than an ounce. Mix the medicine with a
quart of water and simmer it until only half a quart is left. Then recite the
Great Compassion Mantra twenty-one times, and the Sunlight and Moonlight Bodhisattva
Mantras twenty-one times over the mixture and give it to the woman to drink. If
the placenta does not come out, repeat the procedure as above and it, too, will
come out and the woman will be well.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu bỗng nhiên đau nhói nơi tim chịu không kham, đây gọi là chứng ĐỘN THI CHÚ, nên dùng hương Quân Trụ Lỗ, tụng chú vào 21 biến, rồi để trong miệng nhai nuốt không hạn nhiều ít, chừng nào mửa được mới thôi, y như thế bịnh sẽ lành, song nên nhớ phải cữ ngũ tân và rượu thịt. (quân trụ lỗ là vị thuốc HUÂN LỤC Hương.)
SUTRA:
IF YOU SHOULD SUDDENLY BE STRUCK WITH AN UNBEARABLE PAIN IN THE HEART, THIS IS CALLED TUN SHIH CHU.12 MANTRA ONE NIPPLESHAPED PIECE OF CHUN CHU LU INCENSE TWENTY-ONE TIMES. CHEW IT AND SWALLOW THE JUICE. THERE IS NO LIMIT TO HOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE YOU MAY TAKE. THIS WILL CAUSE DIARRHEA AND VOMITING, AND YOU WILL BE CURED. TAKE CARE NOT TO EAT ANY OF THE FIVE PUNGENT PLANTS, NOT TO DRINK WINE, AND NOT TO EAT MEAT. (CHON CHU LU INCENSE IS HSUN LU 13 INCENSE.)
12 ĐỘN THI CHÚ TUN SHIH CHU
Defined as 13 HUÂN LỤC HSUN LU, most likely oriental frankincense or gum olibanum.
Commentary:
The TUN SHIH CHU, "concealed corpse sickness caused by a deviant ghost which enters someone’s and causes his heart to hurt. HSUN LU INCENSE shaped like a nipple. Mantra it twenty-one times chew it. Then swallow the juice. You may take as you like. You will get rid of the medicine by throwing it up or by passing it through the intestable you will then be well.
Be careful not to eat any of the FIVE PUNGENT PLANTS, NOT TO DRINK WINE, AND NOT TO MEAT.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị phỏng lửa thành ghẻ, dùng PHÂN TRÂU ĐEN tụng chú 21 biến mà thoa,
bịnh sẽ lành.
Nếu bị sên lải cắn, dùng nửa chén NƯỚC TIỂU CON NGỰA
KIM, như bịnh nặng thì một chén, gia trì chú 21 biến, uống
vào loài trùng sẽ quyện ra như sợi dây.
SUTRA:
IF YOU ARE BURNED BY A FIRE, SAY THE MANTRA OVER FRESH GOMATI
TWENTY- TIMES, SMEAR IT ON THE SORES, AND YOU WILL BE HEALED. (GOMATI IS THE
EXCREMENT OF BLACK COW.)
IF ONE'S HEART IS BITTEN BY A “HUI” WORM, MANTRA ONE HALF PINT
OF KU MU LU CHE SWALLOW IT, AND YOU WILL BE CURED. IF THE ILLNESS IS
SEVERE, TAKE A FULL PINT, AND THE WORMS WILL COME OUT, EACH BITING THE TAIL OF
THE NEXT, LIKE A ROPE. (KU MU LU CHE IS THE URINE OF A WHITE HORSE.)
Commentary:
Sometimes people are very thin because they have worms in
their stomach which eat all the nutritious food: they may also suffer from
constant stomach-pains because of them. The "HUI" worm, however, is
no common parasite. It's extremely intelligent. It's able to speak and also to
know what you are thinking. There is a saying, "You're not the "HUI"
worm in my stomach; how can you know what's in my mind?" This shows that
they know what you are thinking.
You can't get rid of them with medicine, because if you take
the medicine consciously the worms will know and they won't eat it. Thus the
medicine will have no effect. If you don't yourself know that you've taken the
medicine, however, then the worms may eat it.
In the past, I told you the story of the woman whose stomach
was inhabited by creatures which could talk and which constantly demanded that
she eat noodles. I finally cured her; but the creatures weren't "HUI"
worms, they were strange little monster-children. Anyway, "HUI" worms
eat away at your heart and cause you great pain.
If you get a "HUI" worm, what should you do? MANTRA
ONE HALF PINT OF KU MU LU CHE, the urine of a white horse. TWENTY-ONE
TIMES, SWALLOW IT, AND YOU WILL BE CURED.
If the sickness is very severe, take a full pint, that is,
twice as much, and you will be cured. The worms will come out like a string,
not just one of them, but many. As they come out, each one bites the tail of the
next, as you pass the excrement.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị bịnh ghẻ ĐINH dùng lá LĂNG TIÊU đâm lấy nước, gia trì chú 21 biến
mà thoa, thì ghẻ liền ra cồi mà lành.
SUTRA:
IF YOU HAVE “NAIL” SORES, POUND OUT
THE JUICE OF LING HSIAO LEAVES AND MANTRA IT TWENTY-ONE TIMES. DROP IT
ON THE SORE AND PULL THE SORE OUT BY THE ROOT AND YOU WILL BE CURED
IMMEDIATELY.
Commentary:
NAIL SORES are hard sores which look like nail pounded into
your flesh. They go all the way down the bone like a spike and there's a big, rotten
the surface of the skin. MANTRA the juice of LING HSIAO LEAVES AND
MANTRA IT TWENTY-ONE TIMES. Put in on the sore with press. You may then PULL
THE SORE OUT BY THE ROOT so be cured.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
rủi bị con lằn cắn vào mắt, dùng PHẨN MỚI CỦA CON LỪA, vắt lấy nuớc, gia
trì 21 biến chú, đợi ban đêm trước khi ngủ, nhỏ thuốc ấy vào, bịnh sẽ
lành.
Nếu bị đau bụng, dùng nước giếng trong nấu với 21 HỘT
MUỐI LỚN, còn nửa chén gia trì chú 21 biến uống vào, liền hết đau.
SUTRA:
IF YOUR EYES SHOULD BE BITTEN POISONOUS FLIES, STRAIN OFF THE
JUICE OF KU LU TAN CH’UEH AND MANTRA IT TWENTY-ONE TIMES. PUT IT IN THE
EYES AT NIGHT WHEN YOU LIE DOWN TO SLEEP AND YOU WILL CURED. (KU LU TAN CH’UEH
IS FRESH DONKEY DUNG.)
IF YOU HAVE INTERNAL PAIN, MIX TWENTY-ONE PIECES OF YIN CH’ENG
SALT WITH A PINT OF WELL-FLOWER WATER. MANTRA IT TWENTY-ONE TIMES, DRINK HALF A
PINT, AND YOU WILL BE CURED.
Commentary:
If your stomach hurts, mix WELL-FLOWER14 water
twenty-one pieces of YIN CH’ENG SALT. Mantra it TWENTY-ONE TIMES, drink
a cup, and you'll be cured.
14 Tecoma grandiflora, Bignoniaceae is a variety of a cultivated
plant that bears large WELL-FLOWERS.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
bị bịnh đau mắt đỏ, mắt lồi thịt, mờ mịt không thấy, dùng lá XA XA
DI đâm lược lấy nước, gia trì chú 21 biến, rồi bỏ đồng tiền có
meo xanh vào ngâm một đêm. Xong lại lấy ra, tụng thêm vào đấy 7 biến chú nữa.
Dùng thuốc này nhỏ vào mắt, bịnh sẽ lành. (XA XA DI là lá câu kỷ.)
SUTRA:
IF YOU ARE AFFLICTED BY RED EYES, FLESHY GROWTHS IN THE EYES,
OR A FILM WHICH COVERS THEM, GRIND AND STRAIN THE JUICE FROM THE LEAVES OF THE
SHAMI, AND SAY THE MANTRA OVER IT TWENTY-ONE TIMES. SOAK A GREEN COPPER COIN IN
THE JUICE OVERNIGHT. SAY THE MANTRA OVER IT SEVEN MORE TIMES, PUT IT IN THE
EYES, AND YOU WILL BE CURED. (SHAMI LEAVES ARE KOU CHI LEAVES.15)
15 LYCIUM CHINENSE is one
of two species of boxthorn shrub in the family Solanaceae.The meaning of
SOLANACEOUS is of or relating to the nightshade family of plants.
Commentary:
The Great Compassion Mantra has the power to cure diseases of
the eyes. RED EYES means that, while originally your eyes were quite distinctly
white and black, now the whites have turned red. Perhaps a FLESHY GROWTH grows
in them, or the pupils may become covered by a white film. In such cases, grind
the leaves of the Shami plant and strain the juice through a piece of cloth.
Shami is an Indian word. In China the plant is called KOU CHI. Chinese
people often use it make soups and broths.
SAY THE MANTRA OVER IT TWENTY-ONE TIMES, put a GREEN COPPER
COIN IN THE JUICE OVERNIGHT. Then say the mantra over it again SEVEN MORE
TIMES. Put it in your eyes and YOU WILL BE CURED.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
người có tật ban đêm sợ hãi ra vào không yên, lấy chỉ trắng xe thành
niệt, gia trì chú 21 biến, kết thành 21 gút buộc nơi cổ, thì tật ấy sẽ
dứt. Chẳng những trừ được sự khủng bố mà cũng diệt được tội.
SUTRA:
IF YOU ARE AFRAID AT NIGHT AND NOT AT
PEACE, TO THE POINT OF BEING FRIGHTENED TO COME OR GO, FASHION A CORD OUT OF
WHITE THREADS AND SAY THE MANTRA OVER IT TWENTY-ONE TIMES AS YOU TIE IT INTO
THENTY-ONE KNOTS. TIE IT AROUND YOUR NECK AND YOUR FEAR WILL BE DISPELLED. NOT
ONLY WILL YOUR FEAR BE DISPELLED, BUT YOUR OFFENSES WILL BE ERADICATED.
Commentary:
There is a kind of sickness in which people afraid of the
dark. When it gets dark they are extremely afraid, frightened, and upset. They
become that they are even afraid to go to the toilet. In a case, you should
weave WHITE THREADS into a cord using at the very least five threads. Recite the
Compassion Mantra twenty-one times as you tie it into TWENTY-ONE KNOTS. TIE IT
AROUND YOUR NECK AND YOUR FEAR WILL BE DISPELLED. Not only will you cease to be
afraid, but your karmic obstacles will also be ERADICATED.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
trong nhà sanh nhiều tai nạn, dùng nhánh cây thạch lựu chặt
thành 1.080 đoạn ước độ một tấc, mỗi đoạn 2 đầu đều thoa mật tô lạc.
Kế đó, đem lò nhỏ để trước bàn Phật, cứ tụng xong một biến chú, liền đốt một đoạn.
Khi thiêu hết 1.080 đoạn, tất cả tai nạn thảy đều tiêu trừ.
SUTRA:
IF YOUR HOUSEHOLD IS BESET WITH ACCIDENTS, CALAMITIES, OR
DIFFICULTIES, YOU SHOULD CUT A POMEGRANATE BRANCH INTO 1,080 PIECES. SMEAR BOTH
ENDS OF EACH PIECE WITH BUTTER AND HONEY. RECITE THE MANTRA ONCE OVER EACH
PIECE AND BURN IT. BURN ALL 1,080 PIECES IN THIS WAY, AND ALL CALAMITIES AND
DIFFICULTIES WILL BE ERADICATED. THIS SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE A BUDDHA-IMAGE.
Commentary:
If the people in your home are plagued with ACCIDENTS and
misfortunes--with thieves, fires, all kinds disasters--cut a pomegranate branch
into 1,080 pieces. Smear the ends of each piece with BUTTER AND HONEY. Recite
the Great Compassion Mantra over each piece and burn it, until all 1,080 pieces
have bear burn CALAMITIES AND DIFFICULTIES WILL BE ERADICATED. However, you
should perform this dharma before an image of the Thousand-eyed, Thousand-handed
Bodhisattva Who Regards the Sounds of the World.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
ở các nơi đấu tranh, luận nghị, muốn được hơn người dùng cành bạch xương bồ gia
trì chú 21 biến, đeo nơi cánh tay mặt, tất sẽ được toại nguyện.
SUTRA:
IF YOU MANTRA CALAMUS TWENTY-ONE TIMES AND TIE IT TO YOUR
RIGHT ARM, YOU WILL BE VICTORIOUS IN ALL BATTLES AND DEBATES.
Commentary:
CALAMUS is a medicinal herb. Recite the Great Compassion
Mantra over it twenty-one times and tie it to your right arm. Then, wherever
you go to engage in battle or to debate and discuss principles, you will be
victorious. You'll have unobstructed eloquence and no matter what you do,
you'll be the winner.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
muốn được trí huệ nên dùng nhánh XA XA DI, chặt thành 1.080 đoạn,
mỗi đoạn 2 đầu thoa sữa ngưu tô thuần chất và sữa ngưu tô hòa với bạch mật, cứ
mỗi lần tụng chú lại đốt một đoạn. Nên nhớ trong một ngày đêm chia ra
ba thời, mỗi thời tụng chú và đốt 1.080 đoạn. Thật hành đúng 7
ngày, chú sư sẽ được trí huệ thông ngộ.
(PHỤ CHÚ: Mỗi thời tụng 1.080 biến tất
là người tụng quá nhuần, và có định tâm nhiều).
SUTRA:
TAKE SHAMI LEAVES, BRANCHES, OR STALKS, CUT THEM INTO
INCH-LONG PIECES AND SMEAR BOTH ENDS OF EACH PIECE WITH REAL BUTTER AND WHITE
HONEY. MANTRA EACH PIECE ONCE AS YOU BURN EACH PIECE, BURNING ALL 1,080 PIECES
IN THIS WAY. DO THIS THREE TIMES A DAY, 1,080 TIMES EACH TIME, FOR SEVEN DAYS.
AS THE MANTRA MASTER, YOU SHALL BE SELF-ENLIGHTENED, AND GAIN PENETRATING
WISDOM.
Commentary:
If you would like to obtain the wisdom of knowing your former
lives , cultivate this dharma, an esoteric dharma of the Secret School.
Although secret dharmas can't be told to others, The Great Compassion Dharani Sutra does just that.
In the Secret School there is one particular dharma that
consists of burning things. One may burn clothing, gold, diamonds, butter,
food, anything they burn, the Vajra Master sits there ringing and muttering,
"rlaang, rlaang…” reciting the mantra. The more expensive the items you
burn, the more expensive you are said to be and the more merit and virtue you said
to acquire. Then, after your gold has all down, the Secret School Master can
exchange it good price and make quite a profit.
When people who are not so bright hear about they grab all
their jewelry and burn it. I’ve great many such people. Although this sort of
School does not exist in America at present, it in the future. In Chinese, they
called it telling you in advance so you can all be Vajra.
"Bring all your gold and burn it," you can "and
you will gain the greatest merit." Then, fire goes out, you yourself can
exchange the gold cash and do a fine business. However, I don’t to do that. I
don't have that kind of talent!
TAKE SHAMI LEAVES, or the BRANCHES, OR STALKS, AND CUT THEM INTO INCH-LONG PIECES.
SMEAR each with REAL BUTTER AND WHITE HONEY. You may also flour, food and
drink, or clothing. But you don't need to burn gold, because it won't burn just
melt. Don't believe you must burn less to do that. I'm now blazing the proper views
you to follow. You can be sure that if someone you to burn gold, they are just
cheating you absolutely unnecessary to burn gold. All you need is butter and
sugar.
Recite the mantra over each piece as you Burn all 1,080
pieces. You should do the ceremony three times every day, reciting 1,080 mantras
at ceremony, for a full week.
AS THE MANTRA MASTER, that is, you who are cultivating the
Dharma, YOU SHALL BE SELF-ENLIGHTENED, AND GAIN PENETRATING WISDOM.
"Penetrating" means you will gain wisdom to discern your past lives.
If you have a sincere heart, you may attain spiritual
penetration of the knowledge of past! If your heart is not quite so sincere,
you may have wisdom, but it won't necessarily be the wisdom knowledge of past
lives.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
muốn hàng phục đại lực quỷ thần, dùng củi cây A RỊ SẮC CA, thoa sữa tô lạc và mật
vào, đem trước tượng Đại Bi gia trì, chú 49 biến, rồi đốt trong lửa.
(A RỊ SẮC CA dịch là Mộc hoạn
tử, cũng gọi là vô hoạn tử, một thứ cây có năng lực trừ tà, hạt của
trái cây này có thể xỏ làm hạt chuỗi.)
SUTRA:
IF YOU WISH TO SUBDUE GREATLY POWER GHOSTS AND SPIRITS, MANTRA
A STICK OF ARISHTAKA FORTY-NINE TIMES AND BURN IT, YOU MUST STILL SMEAR THE
BUTTER AND HONEY, AND IT IS ALSO NECESSARY TO PERFORM THE CEREMONY BEFORE AN
IMAGE OF THE GREAT COMPASSIONATE HEART. (ARISHTAKA WOOD IS MU HUAN TZU.16)
16 SAPINDUS MUKOROSSI, commonly known as Indian soapberry, washnut, or ritha, is a species of tree in the family Sapindaceae.
Commentary:
These are no ordinary GHOSTS AND SPIRITS, but ghosts and
spirits of great power whom no one can control. If you want to subdue them,
take a stick of ARISHTAKA and mantra it FORTY-NINE TIMES AND BURN IT. Don't
forget to smear the butter and honey and do the ceremony before an image of the
Great Compassionate Bodhisattva Who Regards the World's Sounds. In this way you
will gain a response and be able to subdue the ghosts and spirits.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
lấy một lượng HỒ LÔ GIÁ NA, đem đựng trong bình lưu ly, để
trước tượng Đại Bi tụng chú 108 biến, rồi dùng thuốc ấy thoa
trên trán và nơi thân, thì tất cả Thiên, Long, Quỷ Thần, người cùng
loài phi nhơn trông thấy đều hoan hỉ. (HỒ LÔ
GIÁ NA là vị Ngưu Hoàng.)
SUTRA:
IF YOU PLACE A GENEROUS OUNCE OF GOROCHANA IN A GLASS BOTTLE, PLACE IT BEFORE A GREAT COMPASSIONATE IMAGE, MANTRA IT 108 TIMES, AND THEN SMEAR IT ON YOUR BODY AND DOT IT ON YOUR FOREHEAD, ALL GODS, DRAGONS, GHOSTS, SPIRITS, HUMANS AND NON-HUMANS WILL BE DELIGHTED. (GOROCHANA IS NIU HUANG, "COW YELLOW." 17)
17 GOROCHANA is a bright yellow orpiment prepared from the bile
of cattle and used in painting, dyeing, and is marking the tilika dot on the
forehead. In medicine it is used as a sedative, tonic, and anthelmintic.
Commentary:
"COW YELLOW" is extremely expensive. Today an ounce
would cost at the very least $500. If you mantra it and smear it on your body
and dot your forehead it, then all the GODS, SPIRITS, and other beings, both human
and non-human, will be happy.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu
thân bị xiềng xích, dùng phẩn của con bồ câu trắng, gia
trì chú 108 biến, tụng xong đem thoa vào tay chà lên gông xiềng, gông xiềng
sẽ tự sút.
Nếu vợ chồng bất hòa, trạng như nước lửa,
dùng lông đuôi chim oan ương, đem trước tượng Đại Bi tụng
chú 1.080 biến rồi đeo trong mình, tất vợ chồng trọn đời vui
hòa, thương yêu nhau.
SUTRA:
IF YOU ARE PUT IN HANDCUFFS OR ARE LOCKED IN A CANGUE, SAY THE
MANTRA OVER THE EXCREMENT OF A WHITE PIGEON 108 TIMES. SMEAR IT ON YOUR HANDS,
THEN RUB THE LOCKS AND THEY WILL OPEN OF THEMSELVES.
"IF A HUSBAND AND WIFE ARE NOT IN HARMONY AND THE
SITUATION IS LIKE THAT OF WATER AND FIRE, TAKE THE TAIL OF A MANDARIN DUCK
BEFORE AN IMAGE OF THE GREAT COMPASSION HEART; SAY THE MANTRA OVER IT 1,080
TIMES, AND CARRY IT ON THE BODY. TO THE END OF YOUR LIFE, THERE WILL BE MUTUAL
DELIGHT, LOVE, AND RESPECT.
Commentary:
Living together as husband and wife is the greater of all natural
relationships, and they should live in harmony. Sometimes, however, various
karmic obstructions may arise, or demons may attempt to destroy their affection
for each other. WATER AND FIRE cannot exist together; where there's fire, water
cannot stay, and where there's water, fire cannot stay. They are like the
husband and wife who fight every day and can't be around each other. MANDARIN
DUCKS are always together and never disagreed. Say the mantra over the tail of a
Mandarin Duck 1,080 times and CARRY IT ON THE BODY. Until the end of your
lives, you will LOVE and RESPECT one another.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu lúa mạ hoặc các thứ cây trái bị sâu bọ cắn, dùng tro và
cát sạch hòa với nước trong, gia trì 21 biến chú, rảy trên cây, trên
mạ cùng bốn bên bờ ruộng, thì sâu bọ không dám phá hại.
Đức Phật lại bảo ngài A Nan: - Quán Thế Âm Tự Tại Bồ
Tát có ngàn mắt ngàn tay, mỗi tay đều tiêu biểu cho
hạnh tùy thuận các sự mong cầu của chúng sanh. Đó cũng là do
tâm Đại Bi của vị Đại Sĩ ấy hóa hiện.
(PHỤ CHÚ : Những chân-ngôn sau đây, chỗ có 2 vạch ngang (--) là chữ đọc kéo hơi dài ra, chữ có 1 vạch ngang (-) là hai chữ đọc hiệp lại làm một. Muốn cầu điều gì, đọc THẦN-CHÚ và CHƠN-NGÔN theo điều ấy).
42 Thủ Nhãn Ấn-Pháp
Quyến-Sách Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
Bảo-Bát Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
Hồ-Bình Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
15. The Shield Hand and Eye
Bàng-Bài Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
http://www.drbachinese.org/online_reading/sf_others/DaBeiJou/page64.htm
64. Tất Ra Tăng A Mục Khê Da
Hóa hiện Dược Vương đại bồ tát
Trừ “ÔN” diệt “DỊCH” cứu hằng sa
Phổ lịnh hữu tình ly tật khổ
Cam lộ biến sái hàm thức nha
NAM-MÔ DƯỢC-VƯƠNG BỒ-TÁT (3 LẦN)
MA-HA-TÁT (1 LẦN)
Phủ-Việt Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
Thứ Mười Sáu
(1 LẦN)
Tất Ra Tăng A Mục Khê Da [64]
Án-- vị ra dã, vị ra dã, tát-phạ hạ.
[
ÔN là bệnh truyền nhiễm.
DỊCH là bệnh lây cho mọi người.
CHO NÊN, NẾU QÚI VỊ MUỐN DIỆT TRỪ BỊNH ÔN DỊCH THÌ PHẢI TRÌ TỤNG
“Phủ-Việt Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp”
]
17. The Jade Ring Hand and Eye
Ngọc-Hoàn Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
18. The White Lotus Hand and Eye
Bạch-Liên-Hoa Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
19. The Blue Lotus Hand and Eye
Thanh-Liên-Hoa Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
20. The Jeweled Mirror Hand and Eye
Bảo-Kính Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
21. The Purple Lotus Hand and Eye
Tử-Liên-Hoa Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
24. The Kundi Hand and Eye
Quân-Trì Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
25. The Red Lotus Hand and Eye
Hồng-Liên Hoa Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
26. The Jeweled Halberd Hand and Eye
Bảo-KíchThủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
27. The Jeweled Conch Hand and Eye
Bảo-LoaThủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
28. The Skull Bone Staff Hand and Eye
Độc-Lâu-Trượng Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
29. The Recitation Beads Hand and Eye
Sổ-ChâuThủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
30. The Jeweled Bell Hand and Eye
Bảo-ĐạcThủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
31. The Jeweled Seal Hand and Eye
Bảo-Ấn Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
32. The Chu Shih Iron Hook Hand and Eye
Cu-Thi-Thiết-Câu Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
36. The Transformation Palace Hand and Eye
Hóa-Cung-ĐiệnThủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
37. The Jeweled Sutra Hand and Eye
Bảo-Kinh Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
38. The Non-retreating Gold Wheel Hand and Eye
Bất-Thối Kim-Luân Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp
- Này A Nan! Những việc có thể mong cầu như thế, kể có ngàn
điều. Nay ta chỉ nói lược qua chút ít phần thôi.
SUTRA:
IF YOUR FIELDS OR ORCHARDS ARE BEING EATEN BY BUGS, SAY THE
MANTRA OVER PURE ASHES, PURE SAND, OR PURE WATER TWENTY-ONE TIMES. SPRINKLE IT
ON THE FOUR BOUNDARIES OF THE FIELDS AND THE BUGS WILL RETREAT. SPRINKLE
MANTRA-WATER ON THE FRUIT TREES AND THE BUGS WILL LEAVE; THEY WILL NOT DARE EAT
THE FRUIT.
THE BUDDHA TOLD ANANDA,
1. FOR WEALTH, VARIOUS GEMS AND VALUABLES, USE THE AS-YOU- WILL
PEARL HAND.
2. FOR SEEKING PEACE AND TRANQUILITY IN ALL UNRESTFUL
SITUATIONS, USE THE LARIAT HAND.
3. FOR ALL INTERNAL ILLNESSES, USE THENJEWELED BOWL HAND.
4. FOR SUBDUING ALL WANG LIANG GHOSTS AND SPIRITS, USE
THE JEWELED SWORD HAND.
5. FOR SUBDUING ALL HEAVENLY DEMONS AND SPIRITS, USE THE VAJRA
HAND.
6. FOR CONQUERING ALL HATEFUL ENEMIES, USE THE VAJRA PESTLE
HAND.
7. FOR ALL SITUATIONS WHERE THERE IS FEAR AND UNREST, USE THE
BESTOWING FEARLESSNESS HAND.
8. FOR DARKNESS AND LACK OF LIGHT IN THE EYES, USE THE SUN
ESSENCE MANI HAND.
9. FOR SICKNESSES INVOLVING HEAT AND POISON, WHERE ONE SEEKS
COOLNESS, USE THE MOON ESSENCE MANI HAND.
10. FOR PROMOTIONS IN OFFICIAL POSITIONS, USE THE JEWELED BOW
HAND.
11. FOR QUICKLY MEETING UP WITH GOOD FRIENDS, USE THE JEWELED
ARROW HAND.
12. FOR VARIOUS ILLNESSES OF THE BODY, USE THE WILLOW BRANCH
HAND.
13. FOR GETTING RID OF EVIL OBSTACLES AND DIFFICULTIES, USE THE
WHITE WHISK HAND.
14. FOR WHOLESOME AND HARMONIOUS RETINUES, USE THE HU BOTTLE
HAND.
15. FOR WARDING OFF TIGERS, WOLVES, AND WILD CATS AND ALL EVIL
BEASTS, USE THE SHIELD HAND.
16. FOR AVOIDING DIFFICULTIES WITH THE LAW AT ALL TIMES AND IN
ALL PLACES, USE THE AXE HAND.
17. FOR MALE AND FEMALE SERVANTS, USE THE JADE RING HAND.
18. FOR ALL KINDS OF MERIT AND VIRTUE, USE THE WHITE LOTUS HAND.
19. FOR REBIRTH IN THE PURE LANDS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS, USE THE
BLUE LOTUS HAND.
20. FOR GREAT WISDOM, USE THE JEWELED MIRROR HAND.
21. FOR MEETING THE BUDDHAS OF THE TEN DIRECTIONS, USE THE
PURPLE LOTUS HAND.
22. FOR UNCOVERING HIDDEN TREASURES IN THE EARTH, USE THE
JEWEL-CHEST HAND.
23. FOR THE WAY OF THE IMMORTALS, USE THE FIVE-COLORED CLOUD
HAND.
24. FOR BIRTH IN THE BRAHMA HEAVENS, USE THE KUNDI HAND.
25. FOR REBIRTH IN ALL HEAVENLY PALACES, USE THE RED LOTUS HAND.
26. FOR WARDING OFF INVADING ENEMIES, USE THE JEWELED HALBERD
HAND.
27. FOR SUMMONING ALL THE GODS AND GOOD SPIRITS, USE THE JEWELED
CONCH HAND.
28. FOR COMMANDING ALL GHOSTS AND SPIRITS, USE THE SKULL-BONE
STAFF HAND.
29. FOR CAUSING THE TEN DIRECTION BUDDHAS TO QUICKLY COME AND
CONFER PREDICTIONS, USE THE RECITATION BEADS HAND.
30. FOR ACCOMPLISHING ALL SUPERIOR BRAHMA SOUNDS, USE THE
JEWELED BELL HAND.
31. FOR
MOUTH KARMA WHICH IS ELOQUENT, CLEVER, AND WONDERFUL, USE THE JEWELED SEAL HAND.
32. FOR
CAUSING THE GOOD SPIRITS AND DRAGONS KINGS TO CONSTANTLY SURROUND AND GUARD
ONE, USE THE CHU SHIH IRON HOOK HAND.
33. FOR COVERING AND PROTECTING ALL BEINGS WITH COMPASSION, USE
THE TIN STAFF HAND.
34. FOR CAUSING ALL LIVING BEINGS TO BE ALWAYS RESPECTFUL AND
LOVING TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER, USE THE JOINED PALMS HAND.
35. FOR NEVER BEING APART FROM THE BUDDHAS THROUGHOUT ALL
SUCCESSIVE LIVES, USE THE TRANSFORMATION BUDDHA HAND.
36. FOR ALWAYS BEING PRESENT IN THE PALACES OF THE BUDDHAS
THROUGHOUT ALL SUCCESSIVE LIVES AND BIRTHS, AND NEVER RECEIVING A BODY BORN
FROM A WOMB USE THE TRANSFORMATION PALACE HAND.
37. FOR MUCH LEARNING AND EXTENSIVE STUDY, USE THE JEWELED SUTRA
HAND.
38. FOR NOT RETREATING FROM THE BODHI HEART FROM THIS
INCARNATION UNTIL ONE'S INCARNATION AS A BUDDHA, USE THE NON-RETREATING GOLD WHEEL
HAND.
39. FOR CAUSING THE TEN DIRECTION BUDDHA TO QUICKLY COME AND RUB
ONE ON THE CROWN, CONFERRING A PREDICTION, USE THE TRANSFORMATION BUDDHA ATOP
THE CROWN HAND.
40. FOR FRUITS, MELONS, AND GRAINS, USE GRAPE HAND.
41. FOR SATISFYING THE HUNGER AND THIRST OF LIVING CREATURES,
USE THE SWEET DEW HAND.
42. FOR SUBDUING HATEFUL DEMONS IN THE THREE THOUSAND GREAT-THOUSAND WORLDS, USE THE UNITING AND HOLDING THOUSAND ARMS HAND.
THUS ARE ALL THE DHARMAS OF SEEKING; ARE A THOUSAND, BUT WE HAVE
ONLY SPOKEN OF BRIEFLY.
Commentary:
Concerning the Great Compassion Mantra and the
Forty-two Hands and Eyes, someone asked, “How did the Bodhisattva Who Regards the World’s Sounds get a thousand hands and eyes?”
The Bodhisattva has great awesome virtue and spiritual
penetrations. His thousand eyes came from cultivation of the Great Compassion
Dharma, which obtains the forty-two Hands. Cultivating them succeed he thereby
gained a thousand hands and eyes. Which he looks to see what trouble people
have and pull out of suffering. Cultivating the Forty-two Hands and Eyes
perfection, he became complete with a thousand Hands and Eyes.
No matter who you are, if you meet the Great Compassion Dharma and
cultivate the Forty-two Hands and Eyes will obtain a thousand hands and eyes,
just like the Bodhisattva.
Dharmas of seeking refers to the Forty-two Hands and Eyes mention
above. There are actually more then thousand, but we are just
mentioning them in general.
Liên quan đến Chú Đại Bi và Bốn Mươi
Hai Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp, có người hỏi: “Làm thế nào mà Bồ Tát Quán Thế Âm có
được ngàn Tay ngàn Mắt?”
Hòa Thượng Tuyên Hóa trả lời rằng: “Vị Bồ tát đó có đại Uy Đức
và Thần Thông không thể nghĩ bàn được . Ngàn Tay ngàn Mắt của Ngài là do trì
Chú Đại Bi và 42 Thủ Nhãn Ấn Pháp. Khi thành tựu PHÁP nầy, thì có được ngàn Tay
ngàn Mắt. Ngàn Mắt để Quán xem sự khổ nạn của chúng sanh và ngàn Tay
để cứu độ họ mau thoát khỏi mọi khổ đau. Tu viên mãn Bốn mươi hai Tay Mắt, thì
sẽ thành tựu ngàn Tay ngàn Mắt.
BẤT LUẬN QUÝ VỊ LÀ AI, nếu tu theo Pháp Đại Bi và 42 Tay Mắt của
Bồ Tát Quán Thế Âm trong KINH ĐẠI BI TÂM ĐÀ RA NI, thì sẽ có được NGÀN TAY NGÀN MẮT giống như BỒ TÁT QUÁN THẾ ÂM
vậy”.
Những việc có thể mong cầu, được đề cập trong 42 Tay Mắt ở trên,
thật ra có hơn ngàn việc, như ở đây chỉ nói ít phần mà thôi.
KINH VĂN:
Khi ấy Nhựt Quang Bồ Tát vì người thọ trì Đại Bi Tâm đà ra
ni nói đại thần chú để ủng hộ rằng:
SUTRA:
SUNLIGHT BODHISATTVA THEN SPOKE A GREAT SPIRITUAL MANTRA TO
PROTECT THOSE WHO ACCEPT AND HOLD THE GREAT COMPASSION DHARANT:
Commentary:
Those who do not understand the Buddhadharma think that SUNLIGHT BODHISATTVA is the sun itself, but this is not the case. He is a Bodhisattva named “Sunlight Bodhisattva.” Although reciters of the Great Compassion Mantra already have many Dharma protectors guarding them, the mantra was spoken specifically to protect those who recite it.
KINH VĂN:
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NHỰT-QUANG BỒ-TÁT ĐÀ-RA-NI
NAM MÔ BỘT-ĐÀ CÙ NA MÊ.
NAM MÔ ĐẠT-MẠ MẠC HA ĐÊ.
NAM MÔ TĂNG-GIÀ ĐA DẠ NÊ.
ĐỂ CHỈ BỘ TẤT TÁT ĐỐT CHIÊM NẠP MẠ.
SUTRA:
NA MWO BO TO JU NWO MI.
NA MWO DA MWO MO HE DI.
NA MWO SENG CHYE DWO YE NI.
DI LI BU BI SA DU YEN NA MWO.
Commentary:
The first three sentences are to take refuge with Triple Jewel.
The last sentence calls in all the Dharma protectors to guard the reciter.
KINH VĂN:
Nhựt
Quang Bồ Tát bạch Phật:
- Bạch đức Thế Tôn! Tụng chú này diệt được tất cả
tội, cũng đuổi được ma và trừ thiên tai.
SUTRA:
TO RECITE THIS MANTRA IS TO WIPE AWAY ALL OFFENSES, KEEP ONE
FROM DEMONS, AND PREVENT NATURAL DISASTERS.
Commentary:
Your offense karma is eradicated, you avoid deviant demons, and
all disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes.
KINH VĂN:
Nếu kẻ nào tụng chú này một biến, lễ Phật một lạy, mỗi ngày chia ra làm 3 thời tụng chú lễ Phật như thế, trong đời vị lai tùy theo chỗ thọ thân, thường được tướng mạo xinh đẹp, được quả báo đáng vui mừng.
.jpg)
NGUYỆT-QUANG BỒ-TÁT ĐÀ-RA-NI
THÂM ĐÊ ĐẾ ĐỒ TÔ TRA. A NHÃ MẬT ĐẾ Ô ĐÔ TRA. THÂM KỲ TRA. BA LẠI ĐẾ. GIA DI NHÃ TRA Ô ĐÔ TRA. CÂU LA ĐẾ TRA KỲ MA TRA. SÁ-PHẠ HẠ.
SUTRA:
IF YOU RECITE IT ONCE AND BOW TO THE BUDDHA ONCE, RECITING AND
BOWING THREE DIFFERENT TIMES EVERYDAY, THEN IN EVERY PLACE OF FUTURE REBIRTH,
YOU WILL ALWAYS CERTAINLY BE REBORN WITH AN ATTRACTIVE APPEARANCE AND “THE
RETRIBUTION OF DELIGHT.”
MOONLIGHT BODHISATTVA THEN SPOKE A DHARANI TO PROTECT
PRACTITIONERS:
SHEN DI DI TU SHU JA. E RE MI DI WU DU JA. SHEN CHI JA. BWO LAI
DI. YE MI RE JA WU DU JA. JYU LWO DI JA CHI MWO JA. SWO PE HE.
Commentary:
THE RETRIBUTION OF DELIGHT means that you will like your
appearance and those who see you will also find you likeable.
PRACTITIONERS are those who recite and hold the Great Compassion
Mantra. They should certainly recite and these two mantras for increased power.
KINH VĂN:
Nguyệt
Quang Bồ Tát lại bạch Phật:
- Bạch đức Thế Tôn! Tụng chú này 5 biến, rồi lấy
chỉ ngũ sắc xe thành sợi niệt, gia trì chú vào, buộc tréo
nơi tay, chú này do 40 hằng sa chư Phật đời quá khứ đã nói
ra, nay tôi cũng nói để vì các hành nhơn mà làm duyên ủng hộ. Chú này
có công năng trừ tất cả chướng nạn, tất cả bịnh ác, xa
lìa tất cả sự sợ hãi.
SUTRA:
RECITE THIS MANTRA FIVE
TIMES, MAKING A MANTRA-ROPE OUT OF FIVE-COLORED THREADS. TIE IT AROUND THE
PLACE THAT HURTS.
THIS MANTRA HAS BEEN
SPOKEN BY BUDDHAS OF THE PAST TO THE NUMBER OF SAND GRAINS IN FORTY GANGES RIVERS.
I ALSO NOW SPEAK IT FOR THE SAKE OF ALL PRACTICERS, IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEM,
TO CAST OUT ALL OBSTACLES AND DIFFICULTIES, TO GET RID OF ALL THE PAIN OF EVIL
ILLNESSES, TO ACCOMPLISH THE REALIZATION OF ALL WHOLESOME DHARMAS, AND TO LEAVE
ALL FEAR FAR BEHIND."
Commentary:
Recite the Moonlight Bodhisattva Dharani FIVE TIMES over five
colored threads and tie them around the part of your body that is in pain.
THIS MANTRA HAS BEEN SPOKEN BY BUDDHAS OF THE PAST
TO THE NUMBER OF SAND GRAINS IN FORTY GANGES RIVERS. I am now
speaking it in order to afford protection to those who recite and hold the
Great Compassion Mantra, and to eradicate their karmic obstacles, hardships,
and painful, illnesses, for one who recites the mantra can get rid of all evil
sickness. I also speak the mantra in order to bring about the realization of
all good dharmas and to cause reciters to remain distant from all fear and
trembling. The mantra's power is great indeed.
KINH
VĂN:
Đức
Phật bảo ngài A Nan:
- Ông nên dùng lòng trong
sạch tin sâu mà thọ trì môn Đại Bi tâm đà ra ni này
và lưu bố rộng ra trong cõi Diêm Phù Đề, chớ cho đoạn
tuyệt. Đà ra ni này có thể làm lợi ích lớn cho chúng
sanh trong 3 cõi. Tất cả bịnh khổ ràng buộc nơi thân, nếu
dùng đà ra ni này mà trị thì không bịnh nào chẳng lành, dùng đại thần
chú này tụng vào cây khô, cây ấy còn được sanh cành lá, trổ bông,
trái, huống chi là chúng sanh có tình thức ư? Nếu thân bị đại bịnh,
dùng chú này mà trị không lành, lẽ ấy không bao giờ có.
SUTRA:
THE BUDDHA TOLD ANANDA, "YOU SHOULD ACCEPT AND HOLD THE
DHARANI WITH A PROFOUND AND PURE HEART, PROPAGATING IT WIDELY IN JAMBUDVIPA AND
NOT ALLOWING IT TO BECOME EXTINCT. THE DHARANI CAN BRING GREAT BENEFIT TO
LIVING BEINGS OF THE THREE WORLDS AND CURE ALL DISEASE AND SUFFERING WHICH MAY
BIND THE
BODY, THERE IS NO ILLNESS IT CANNOT CURE.
THE GREAT SPIRITUAL MANTRA CAN CAUSE EVEN WITHERED TREES TO GROW
NEW BRANCHES, BLOOM, AND BEAR FRUIT. HOW MUCH THE MORE SO CAN IT CURE THE
SICKNESS AND DISEASE OF THE BODIES OF LIVING CONSCIOUS BEINGS.
Commentary:
Having set forth the previous doctrines, Shakyamuni Buddha
continues to address Ananda, saying, "You should accept and hold the
Dharani with a PROFOUND AND PURE HEART." “Profound” means that you should
not be casual or careless, but should be especially attentive.
“Pure” means that you should not strike up false thinking or
entertain thoughts of greed. Accept and hold the mantra. Recite it with single-minded
concentration and do not allow your mind to become involved with external
conditions, plots, or plans. Spread the widely by telling everyone you meet about
its power and effectiveness and its ability to benefits beings. Propagate it
and make it flow, like running water, throughout the southern continent of JAMBUDVIPA.
Most importantly, whatever you do, DO NOT ALLOWING IT TO BECOME EXTINCT.
Do not allow the Great Compassion or The Great Compassion Sutra to become extinct. The dharani can bring great benefit not only
to the beings in the realm of desire, but to the beings in the world of for the
formless world as well. It can cure all illness sores, and chronic evil
diseases which continual afflict the body. THERE IS NO ILLNESS IT CANNOT CURE.
The Great Compassion Mantra has the power CAN CAUSE EVEN
WITHERED TREES TO GROW NEW BRANCHES, BLOOM, AND BEAR FRUIT. So it is certainly
impossible for not to cure the sicknesses of living, conscious beings who have
emotion and feeling. It is certain that will be cured.
The efficacy and force gained through of the Great Compassion
Mantra is inconceivable must have a sincere heart and not a particle. If you
have doubt, there will be no response. If you recite the mantra without doubts
and without falling, you will certainly obtain a response.
Think it over: how many people are there in world? How many of
them have heard the name “Great Compassion Mantra?" How many of them understand
Great Compassion Dharma? It should be obvious the mantra is difficult to
encounter. It’s difficult even to hear its name. Even in Buddhism, at the time,
very few people know the power of the Great Compassion Mantra and, especially,
of the SUNLIGHT Bodhisattva and MOONLIGHT Bodhisattva-Dharani. Even the people
are able to recite them.
In this, the Dharma ending Age, there is no one who is able to
cultivate or to understand a dharma like the Forty-two Hand yet, here in the
Buddhist Lecture Hall, we transmission dharma of the Forty-two Hands and the Sunlight
Dharanis as well, with the hope that these doors might be revived and flourish
once more in the future, everyone will understand how to recite these dharmas
and day by day there will be more people who have the Five Eyes and Six Spiritual
Penetrations.
The dispositions of beings in the Dharma-end are quite dull and
stupid. The Right Dharma is difficult to encounter. Having encountered it, few
wish to cultivate it, and those who do try to cultivate it don't stay with it
for long. It's a most difficult situation.
Therefore, in our cultivation of the Great Compassion Dharma, we
should not fear hardships. We should take time from our busy schedules to
listen to the lectures on the Sutras and to cultivate the Great Compassion
Dharma, to recite and hold the Great Compassion mantra, to cultivate the
Shurangama Mantra, the Sunlight and Moonlight Bodhisattva Dharanis, and to
cultivate the forty-two Hands.
Once you have cultivated them for a while, you will obtain a
response and gain success. But no matter what you do, you must do it for a time
until your skill is perfected. For example, if you are learning how to write
Chinese characters, the first ones you write won't be very good. The second try
will show some improvement, and the third attempt will be even better. If you
continue to practice after a while they will naturally improve, but if you
don't continually practice, they never will. Cultivating the Dharma is also
this way.
Now, in the Dharma-ending Age, we have met in this hall to
investigate the Buddhadharma. This is an inconceivable state and shows that you
have good roots from former lives. If you did not have good roots, you would
absolutely not have encountered the Great Compassion Mantra, The Great Compassion Sutra, the
Sunlight and Moonlight Dharanis, or the Forty-two Hands. To put it
in even plainer terms, if you did not have good roots, you would not have been
able to meet me, this left-home person who has no cultivation. But now that you
have met me, you all have an opportunity to go to the Place where you want to
go.
KINH
VĂN:
Này thiện nam tử! Sức oai
thần của Đại Bi tâm đà ra ni không thể nghĩ bàn! Không thể nghĩ
bàn! Khen ngợi không bao giờ hết được, nếu chẳng phải là kẻ từ thời quá
khứ lâu xa đến nay đã gieo nhiều căn lành, thì dù cho cái tên
gọi còn không được nghe, huống chi là được thấy! Nay đại chúng các
ông, cả hàng trời, người long thần, nghe ta khen ngợi phải nên tùy hỉ.
SUTRA:
GOOD MEN, THE AWESOME
SPIRITUAL POWER OF THE DHARANI IS INCONCEIVABLE, IT IS INCONCEIVABLE. ONE
CANNOT FINISH PRAISING IT. IF, FROM THE LONG DISTANT PAST, YOU HAD NOT PLANTED
EXTENSIVE GOOD ROOTS, YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE EVEN TO HEAR ITS NAME, LET ALONE
MEET UP WITH IT. ALL OF YOU PRESENT IN THE GREAT ASSEMBLY--GODS, PEOPLE,
DRAGONS, AND SPIRITS--UPON HEARING ME PRAISE THE DHARANI SHOULD ACCORDINGLY
REJOICE.
Commentary:
"GOOD MEN," says the Buddha. "Bodhisattva, Bhikshus,
Bhikshunis, Upasakas and Upasikas assembled here--you should know that this
Dharani, which “unites all dharma and holds limitless meanings,” has AWESOME
SPIRITUAL POWER. "Awesome” means that one stands in awe of it. All humans
and demons fear it. "Spiritual" refers to its inconceivable power; it
has such strength that people stand in awe of it. This kind of power is
INCONCEIVABLE; IT IS INCONCEIVABLE. It cannot be thought of with the mind or
spoken of with the mouth. The word “inconceivable" is said twice to double
the impact.
Ah! It's inconceivable, inconceivable. I could never FINISH
PRAISING IT," says the Buddha. “Were it not the case that you had planted
many GOOD ROOTS in many aeons past, you wouldn't even be able to hear the name,
“Great Compassion Mantra.” But, since you did now you have.
Hearing me, Shakyamuni Buddha, praise the Great Companion Mantra,
ALL OF YOU PRESENT IN THE GREAT ASSEMBLY--GODS, PEOPLE, DRAGONS, AND SPIRITS--should
follow my example and praise the mantra and cultivate this Dharma-door."
KINH
VĂN:
Nếu kẻ nào hủy báng thần chú này tức
là hủy báng 99 ức hằng hà sa chư Phật kia. Nếu người nào đối với đà
ra ni này sanh nghi không tin, nên biết kẻ ấy sẽ vĩnh
viễn mất sự lợi ích lớn, trăm ngàn muôn kiếp không bao giờ nghe
thấy Phật, Pháp, Tăng, thường chìm trong tam đồ không biết bao giờ
mới được ra khỏi.
SUTRA:
ONE WHO SLANDERS THE MANTRA IS SIMPLY SLANDERING BUDDHAS TO THE
NUMBER OF GRAINS OF SAND IN NINETY-NINE MILLIONS OF GANGES RIVERS. YOU SHOULD
KNOW THAT ONE WHO GIVES RISE TO DOUBT OR DISBELIEF WITH REGARD TO THE DHARANI
FOREVER LOSES GREAT BENEFIT. FOR A BILLION AEONS HE WILL CONTINUALLY BE
ENGULFED IN THE EVIL DESTINIES WITH NO PERIOD OF ESCAPE, NEVER MEETING THE
BUDDHA, HEARING THE DHARMA, OR SEEING THE SANGHA.
Commentary:
ONE WHO SLANDERS THE MANTRA, saying, "It's just
superstition," or this and that, is simply slandering the BUDDHAS of the past
TO THE NUMBER OF GRAINS OF SAND IN NINETY-NINE MILLIONS OF GANGES RIVERS. YOU
SHOULD KNOW THAT ONE WHO GIVES RISE TO DOUBT OR DISBELIEF WITH REGARD TO THE
DHARANI FOREVER LOSES GREAT BENEFIT. FOR A BILLION AEONS HE WILL CONTINUALLY BE
ENGULFED IN THE EVIL DESTINIES WITH NO PERIOD OF ESCAPE, NEVER MEETING THE
BUDDHA, HEARING THE DHARMA, OR SEEING THE SANGHA. What is the "great
benefit?" Cultivators of the Dharma-door of the Great Compassion Mantra
can end birth and escape death; they can realize Buddhahood; they can attain
the position of irreversibility. Those who don't believe in this Dharma-door do
not obtain this great benefit; they do not end birth and death. So it says,
"They forever lose great benefit."
For a hundred aeons, for a thousand aeons, for ten thousand
aeons, for a billion aeons, they will continue to turn in the evil destinies as
beings in hell, as ghosts, as animals--that's three--or as asuras, that's four
evil destinies. They will never get out and they will never meet the Buddha or
hear the Dharma. Now, in America, a trail is being blazed in unchartered territory
and you can hear the Dharma every day. Did the generation which preceded you
have this opportunity? Could they have listened to the Buddhadharma?
“Not seeing the Sangha...” Very few of your elders ever saw
members of the Sangha. Now, not only do you see the Buddha and hear the Dharma,
but very shortly genuine American Bhikshus and Bhikshunis will appear! Because
the good roots of Americans have matured, the Triple Jewel appears.
KINH
VĂN:
Khi ấy, tất cả chúng
hội, Bồ Tát Ma ha tát, Kim Cang mật tích, Phạm vương, Đế
Thích, tứ đại thiên vương, thiên, long, quỷ thần, nghe đức Như
Lai khen ngợi môn đà ra ni này xong, thảy đều vui mừng, y lời dạy
mà tu hành.
SUTRA:
HEARING THE BUDDHA, THE THUS COME ONE, PRAISE THE DHARANI, THE
ENTIRE ASSEMBLY OF BODHISATTVAS, MAHASATTVAS, VAJRA SECRET TRACES, BRAHMA,
SHAKRA, THE FOUR HEAVENLY KINGS, THE GODS, DRAGONS, GHOSTS AND SPIRITS ALL
REJOICED AND RESPECTFULLY CULTIVATED THE TEACHING.
Commentary:
Present in the assembly were the great Bodhisattvas, the VAJRA
SECRET TRACES Dharma protectors, the BRAHMA, the FOUR HEAVENLY KINGS, SHAKRA,
along the GODS, DRAGONS, GHOSTS AND SPIRITS. When the Shakyamuni Buddha PRAISE
THE DHARANI, laud the of the Great Compassion Heart Dharani, they ALL REJOICED
AND RESPECTFULLY CULTIVATED THE TEACHING.
They up their conduct in accord with the teaching the Great Compassion
Mantra, the Forty-Two Hands, the Sunlight and Moonlight Bodhisattva Dharanis practiced
in accord with what they had been tang.
KINH THIÊN-THỦ THIÊN-NHÃN
QUÁN-THẾ-ÂM BỒ-TÁT QUẢNG-ÐẠI VIÊN-MÃN
VÔ-NGẠI ĐẠI-BI-TÂM ÐÀ-RA-NI
SUTRA:
END OF THE SUTRA OF THE VAST, GREAT, PERFECT, FULL, UNIMPEDED,
GREAT COMPASSION HEART DHARANI OF THE THOUSAND-HANDED, THOUSAND-EYED BODHISATTVA
WHO REGARDS THE SOUNDS OF THE WORLD.
UM! BÚT RUM! HÙM!
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